Biggleswade nurse with a passion to care for others receives Freemasons award

A Biggleswade nurse has received an award for her hard work - and a cheque for £500.

Amy Truett, who works at Penrose Court nursing home in Biggleswade, is this year's winner of the Martin Foss Award - the annual award made by Bedfordshire Freemasons to a final year student in nursing and midwifery who has made the greatest contribution to the life of the Faculty of Health and Social Science.

The award, named after the late Martin Foss, Past Provincial Grand Master for Bedfordshire and a former surgeon, was handed to mum-of-four Amy along with the cash prize at Bedfordshire Freemasons' centre at the Keep in Kempston.

Amy said: "I’m a 37-year-old mum to four children with a husband of 21 years. I knew from having a young family that I wanted to spend the rest of my life taking care and looking after others.

"I started my career as a part-time carer, later moving to full-time roles at Hinchingbrooke and Biggleswade hospitals, with breaks to look after the children.

"The passion inside me to look after others just kept growing, and after the sudden loss of my father in law, who I cared for on a daily basis, I said to my husband that I really wanted to become a nurse.

"Despite the financial problems it might cause, we agreed I would go to college and study for a year and see how we got on with childcare and home commitments. It worked well but it was a struggle! After gaining a diploma in access to healthcare with distinctions I was offered a place at the University of Bedfordshire to study adult nursing."

Throughout the three years of her degree, Amy also held down a job in palliative care at St. Johns Moggerhanger - as well as raising a family.

She added: "I struggled with lots of issues at home, with my children's health, my own health and just life in general. We also managed to move house somehow.

"Despite all of this I was awarded with a Bachelor of Science in adult nursing with First Class Honours. I cried a lot! Even more so at graduation when I was awarded the Martin Foss award.

"I now work at Penrose Court nursing home in Biggleswade as a Registered General Nurse and I can honestly say the satisfaction I get every day from looking after others, showing empathy and empowering my residents and other staff members is everything I studied for.

"My children and my husband along with a few friends saw the potential in me, supported me through every up and down and to them I owe enormous thanks. I would never have got through it without the support of my little family.

"I will be spending the prize money on my family and taking them to our favourite place in Cornwall. They deserve it after putting up with me the last four years!"