The Iolanthe Midwifery Trust is introducing two new awards for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) midwives and students: the Dora Opoku Midwives Award and the Dora Opoku Student Award. Applications for the awards open on Tuesday 4 December, along with applications for all other Iolanthe awards.
The Iolanthe Midwifery Trust recognises that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) midwives have an enormous range and depth of skills, wisdom and talent which is not always fully supported within UK health care.
As part of their developing diversity and inclusion policy the Trustees recognise that there are few ethnically diverse applicants for the awards and wish to take a step towards redressing the balance. They are therefore pleased to announce the Iolanthe Dora Opoku (BAME) Midwives Award of £1,500 and the Iolanthe Dora Opoku (BAME) Student Award of £1,000 being offered for the first time in 2019.
We are delighted that the awards are to be named the Dora Opoku Awards, after an inspirational midwife who was appointed an OBE for her services to midwifery education. We are grateful to her family for their permission to use her name.
Chair of Trustees at the Iolanthe Midwifery Trust, Sheena Byrom
Notes for Editors:
- The Iolanthe Midwifery Trust is a charity which aims to promote and improve the care of mothers, babies and families through awarding grants and fellowships in support of midwifery education, practice and research.
- Dora Opoku OBE (1948-2010) was Head of Midwifery at City, University of London from 1995 until her retirement in 2010. More information about Dora Opoku can be found at www.iolanthe.org/dora-opoku
- Applications for Iolanthe Awards open on Tuesday 4 December 2018 and can be made online at www.iolanthe.org/apply. Applications close 31 January 2019
- For more details contact [email protected]
- Photo used with permission of the family of Dora Opoku for the purposes of publicising the awards