In a year of record-breaking award entries, the winners of the awards were unveiled during a glittering afternoon ceremony held at the London Hilton on 26 April.

The Department of Nursing at Swansea, which has a national reputation for expertise in developing advanced, specialist and clinical nurses, was nominated in four categories this year, including Nurse Education Provider of the Year (pre-registration) for the second time.

Charlene, who hails from Garnant, in the Amman Valley paid tribute to the nurses that saved her as a patient: “I am absolutely thrilled to have won this award. It has shown me that anything is possible! I know I want to be a good nurse but I want to be more than that, I want to empower individuals to create change and achieve anything they set their mind to.

“I started my journey as a patient, one who felt 'saved' by the nurses who cared for me. It is an honour to be recognised and to know that my journey has inspired others, just as other have inspired me. This award is a true testament to those who have influenced me”.

Jayne Cutter, Head of the Department of Nursing at the College of Human and Health Sciences said: “I was absolutely delighted to see Charlene winning this award. Charlene has overcome significant health problems and has gone above and beyond what we expect of our students. Not only has she excelled in practice but has devoted her own time to helping underprivileged and vulnerable people.

“She is devoted to her family and friends and is a constant source of support to her peers. Without doubt, she has all the values and qualities we expect he see in a nurse and will be an asset to the profession.

“In total, we were finalists in an amazing four categories. This is a tremendous achievement for the College and is testament to the hard work and dedication of all our students and staff”.