Wrap Pyjama Fairies creator nominated for nursing award

17 March 2017

Single mum-of-three and UCLan’s pre-registration provision make national shortlist

A standout student and the University of Central Lancashire’s (UCLan) nursing provision have been shortlisted for national health prizes.

Mental health nursing student Amanda Chadwick and UCLan and have been nominated for 2017 Student Nursing Times Awards.

The single mother-of-three has been selected for the Most Inspirational Student Nurse of the Year while the institution has been named in the Nurse Education Provider of the Year (pre-registration) category.

Amanda has been nominated after co-founding Wrap Pyjama Fairies, a charity dedicated to helping children feel more comfortable during stays in hospital.

The 35-year-old, who learnt to sew while she was pregnant with her youngest daughter, was inspired to create the special pyjamas after Nevaeh Belle was diagnosed with heart failure and rushed into hospital at two days old.

She said: “Throughout her time in hospital I realised that she spent most of her time naked and she would scream in discomfort when I had to undress her for the staff to give their care. Since I couldn’t find anything suitable for her to wear either in the UK or further afield, I decided to create some comfortable specially designed pyjamas for her to wear. These special pyjamas meant she could stay dressed, warm, safe and virtually pain free while the medical team looked after her.”

Amanda, from Partington, near Manchester, said: “I'm overwhelmed to have been nominated for this award. There are so many students out there who work hard so I was really surprised when I found out.

“I never started any of this to win awards. I saw a need and decided to do something about it. I couldn't do it all without the charity’s co-founder Chelsea Coulson-Williams, a master’s student at Aberystwyth University and all the fabulous volunteers.”

While at UCLan Amanda has undertaken placements at Leigh Infirmary and Atherleigh Park.

She added: “I'm very much looking forward to the awards ceremony. I'll be going with my friends from University, the lecturers and taking my father to say thank you for all the support that I've had from him and my mum.”

Eve Potts, Amanda’s personal tutor, said: “I am so incredibly proud of her; she works hard in University and on placement. It amazes me how she finds the time to do her charity work for the Wrap Pyjama Fairies and be a wonderful mum to her young family. Amanda never seeks out attention and quietly goes about her business. She has been a valued member of her cohort and will be missed when she completes her course at the end of March.”

The University pre-registration nursing courses include adult nursing, mental health nursing, mental health practice, and children's nursing.

Karen Wright, Head of the School of Nursing, said: “I am absolutely delighted that we have been recognised by the Student Nursing Times in this category. We are a huge provider of nursing education in the North West and are renowned for producing thousands of top quality nurses who progress into roles within the hospital trusts. This nomination is a great reward for the staff who work tirelessly to deliver the very best in teaching.”

The University is also sponsoring the Educator of the Year Award. The Student Nursing Times Awards ceremony will take place on 27 April at the London Hilton on Park Lane.