The exceptional skills of midwifery student Lindsay Skyrme, who is in her third year at Swansea University, have been recognised in the prestigious 2014 Scholarship Awards run by Cavell Nurses’ Trust as runner-up for the academic achievement prize.

She received her award from Jane Cummings, Chief Nursing Officer for England, at a glittering ceremony in the City of London, where the guest of honour was Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, who is President of the charity’s Edith Cavell Centenary Appeal.

The charity, ‘A living legacy for caring and learning’, supports the UK's 650,000 student, working and retired nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants who need financial help and support following illness, injury and other difficulties.

Picture: Jane Cummings and Lindsay Skyrme

The scholarships form part of their educational programme and are open to students currently studying nursing or midwifery on undergraduate/postgraduate or diploma courses at universities in the UK.

Receiving her award Lindsay said: “I honestly never expected to come so far in the scholarships. Simply being shortlisted was far more than I ever expected, so to be chosen as runner-up is an honour. I had to be encouraged by my tutor to enter the awards, but when I read up about Edith Cavell it became something I wanted to recognise and be part of.”

Mature student Lindsay entered midwifery after a 20-year career in the hotel industry and following the birth of her daughter, now aged four. “I was always interested in midwifery and felt pulled towards it after having a baby. That’s when you realise that the apparently small differences often make the biggest difference for new mothers, and that supporting the transition to parenthood is very important.”

Lindsay is now planning to continue her studies with a PhD exploring natural versus technocratic approaches to breastfeeding.

Some 29 student nurses and midwives from across the country were shortlisted for the honours in five different categories covering outstanding student nurse and midwife, leadership, community and academic achievement.

The rigorous selection process included in-depth interviews of the candidates by a judging panel comprising some of the foremost figures in nursing, including Helen Whyley, Nursing Officer for Wales and Professor Lesley Page, President of the Royal College of Midwives.

This is the third year for the scholarships, which are promoted through universities, with the aim of providing exceptional student nurses and midwives opportunities to further develop their professional practice and personal qualities.

The Princess Royal, in addressing the invited audience at the presentation event, said: "It is a pleasure to join you tonight, a really nice occasion for us all to be able to celebrate and congratulate our winners but to thank, particularly the Cavell Nurses' Trust for supporting the next generation of nursing leaders in Britain at such an important point in their careers.

Her Royal Highness said she was proud to be President of the charity's centenary appeal, adding: "The Trust feels this is an appropriate time to allow us to invest even more in the future of our young nurses and midwives. It is an entirely worthwhile aim of this kind of event which raises the profile of these young people."

She said the award winners now had the "extraordinary valuable gift" to be able to go out and learn.

"If the Trust has the ability to support more of them, they can attract more people to the opportunity and support their ambitions and dreams for the future."

The charity, which every year helps hundreds of nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants who have fallen on hard times through ill health, disability, family breakdown or domestic abuse, is promoting a series of fundraising events for the Centenary Appeal. For further information on these and information about the work of Cavell Nurses' Trust, please visit www.cavellnursestrust.org or call 01527 595999.