RCN Representatives of the Year awards 2009

The RCN Representatives of the Year awards sponsored by Liverpool Victoria acknowledge the range of work undertaken by representatives on behalf of members over the past year. They recognise the hard work, dedication and outstanding commitment shown by the RCN’s stewards, learning and safety representatives.

This year's winners were:

Steward of the Year - Simon Cadman
Safety Representative of the Year - Mitzi Wilson
Learning Representative of the Year - Cheryl Lewis Thomas

Steward of the Year – Simon Cadman

Simon Cadman’s enthusiasm for representing members, his professionalism and his input into local branch structures prior to and since recent mergers, have made a real impression on his colleagues. His deep-rooted interest in politics enables him to bring a strategic awareness to local RCN activity.

He is always ready to share his knowledge, acquired either in his role as a service manager in the North Staffordshire mental health trust or through his RCN activities and training. His presence locally has re-invigorated his workplace colleagues and elevated the profile of the RCN significantly across the local health economy.

He has assisted locally with recruitment events and representation and is now an active member of his own staff side – all within one year of expressing an interest in becoming a steward. Instrumental in the development of new branches, he played a key role in ensuring that mergers were managed successfully and with positive outcomes.

Simon Cadman was one of the first people to complete the new stewards’ training programme and is now actively undertaking Part II. He is also in the process of completing the political leadership programme and continually encourages others to develop their own learning.

Safety Representative of the Year – Mitzi Wilson

Mitzi Wilson enrolled in nurse training in 1977 and worked for 10 years at Sandwell hospital before deciding to work in the community as a district enrolled nurse in 1987. In 1994 Mitzi became a community staff nurse where she has earned the respect of senior managers in her role and by taking on voluntary and unpaid activities including working as an anti-harassment advisor.

In 2004 Mitzi decided she would like to become a safety representative for the RCN however, realising that the trust she worked for did not have any RCN representatives she instead undertook the stewards training. Mitzi convinced colleagues of the importance of securing time off for union duties, ensuring that it did not impact on her duties, the district nursing team or colleagues. Once recognised as a steward Mitzi worked tirelessly to actively encourage people within her trust to become involved.

By 2006 Mitzi felt strongly that the two roles of the steward and safety representative could be combined and so took on the extra role. Following an RCN conference about staff safety and attacks on NHS staff, Mitzi has played a key role working with staff side and managers within her trust to develop lone working policies. As part of this she has been involved in trials to find a suitable device for lone workers. Following their success, Mitzi is continuing to drive the project forward to ensure a device is made available to lone workers.

Learning Representative of the Year – Cheryl Lewis-Thomas

The first health care assistant (HCA) in Wales to become an RCN learning representative, Cheryl Lewis-Thomas is passionate about both of these roles. HCAs now contact her to ask advice on what courses are available and how to access them. She keeps herself up-to-date with information on courses and funding through contact with the Education and Development Department for Aneurin Bevan Health Board.

Cheryl is particularly enthusiastic about the Certificate of Higher Education in Healthcare Nursing Support Worker Education, which she has started. Always ready to encourage others, she invited a guest speaker to explain to her colleagues the significance of doing the certificate on the basis that there was life after NVQ.

Since becoming a learning representative in March 2008, she has spoken at a number of RCN events, including the RCN/Open University HCA conference in Nantgarw and RCN Congress in Harrogate last year. She has set out to highlight the role of the HCA and the personal and professional development opportunities available.

She has also been involved with another RCN learning representative in developing an RCN resource centre in a local library, and arranged a portfolio building session specifically for HCAs working in general practice. As to her own personal development, Cheryl believes that becoming a learning representative has given the confidence she once lacked to speak to registered staff and to engage with senior staff in other organisations.