There are times in all of our lives when remarkable things happen, sometimes during the most mundane moments. I was hanging my washing out, arms full of laundry, when Nicola Ranger called to tell me I’d been elected to RCN Council! I didn’t know what to think, or do, but by the time the call ended the washing was all over the floor!

Putting yourself out there in an election is hard, and the joy of winning comes with the massive responsibility of knowing people have voted for you and you don’t want to let them down.

Prior to becoming Chair of RCN Council, I had held many roles within the College. As a steward, I supported members with all manner of workplace issues. I’ve represented my branch at RCN Congress, discussed governance at board level, and campaigned across all four nations of the UK on fair pay and safer staffing levels.

Despite having all of this experience, nothing quite prepared me for taking on the role of Chair of Council, and I struggled in those early days with imposter syndrome tapping on my shoulder. Luckily though I have a great team around me; my fellow Council members are full of knowledge, expertise and passion, and are willing to learn and develop together. We are also supported by our brilliant executive team who have a genuine enthusiasm for nursing and a determination to make things better for our members.

Our first few months as a team were a bit of a whirlwind – going through induction, learning all about the different functions within the College and taking on our various committee roles. Not to mention learning a vast amount of information about how the College works, how we can govern and set the policy agenda on behalf of our members.

As Chair of Council, I have the privilege of sitting on a number of different committees. The Agenda Committee has given me greater insight into our annual RCN Congress, the art of writing agenda items and hearing first-hand what our members’ priorities are for the year ahead. Joining the Awards Committee has been an absolute joy. I’ve loved hearing about the incredible work of our members and being involved with the important work of celebrating our profession and everything that it achieves.

I was also fortunate enough to be invited to attend the RCN Foundation Impact Awards which was an amazing night - a true celebration of how the RCN Foundation has helped members of the nursing profession thrive and flourish. It was such an honour to present the awards that night, and the RCN Awards at Congress in May, and it reminded me of the many ways in which nursing changes lives.

Before I knew it, 5 months had passed since I was elected, and it was time for RCN Congress. This was an important week, having to present our Council report to the Congress floor, but it gave me a real chance to understand how Congress shapes the work of the College. It was also an honour for me to champion the College and welcome members in my hometown of Liverpool.

Moreover, Congress 2025 saw the launch of both our EDI report and Activism Strategy. These key documents set out how we have been listening to our members and the steps that we are taking to make the College more inclusive and engaging than ever before. I was clear when I ran for election that the development of our new academies would be a top priority for me, because I could see the potential that they offered for developing both our College and the nursing profession. It’s been incredibly rewarding to witness the academies evolve and play a part in shaping their unique identities and helping turn their visions into tangible realities.

Representing the RCN at ICN Congress in Helsinki was another highlight. It was a chance to meet other nurses from across the globe, and it struck me how similar many of the issues that we are facing are, and how our goals for the nursing profession are universal. Nursing staff the world over simply want the pay, resources and working conditions that will allow us to provide the safe and effective care our patients deserve and that we were trained to deliver.

I ran for election with a promise to advance discussions on banding reform – both in the NHS and independent sectors, so I was delighted to see the publication of our Pathway to Progression report at Congress, which clearly sets out the evidence that change is needed. This is about valuing not only our profession, but ourselves as nursing staff.

We were united in Helsinki by our desire to show the true value of nursing in order to secure the future of the profession. Our own RCN Institute of Nursing Excellence showcased the fantastic work of the College across different areas, with education and research as the golden threads running through all our efforts. The Institute was well received and other nursing associations expressed their desire to come and work with us, so that we could continue and expand our shared learning and development.

I was also given the honour of representing the RCN by helping teach some masterclasses with colleagues from the American Nurses Association, showing nurses suturing techniques and discussing different areas of emergency health care, from inner city Liverpool to rural America.

Back here in the UK, I have just recorded the report of Council for the AGM, I am unable to be present in person as I am about to sample the other side of healthcare - and have a spell as a patient. I am having surgery on my ankle and will need a few weeks to recover but will hopefully be back on my feet (both of them!) soon.

In the meantime, I wanted to say thank you to everyone that voted for me for putting your trust in me. Being your Chair of Council is truly a privilege and an honour I am not taking lightly - I think it finally sunk in when I saw my name embossed in Cowdray Hall at RCN HQ, but the task is eased by working with an amazing team of elected members and staff alike. I promise I will always stand up for what is right, for our College and our profession, and of course, at the heart of all our work, our patients.