The British Journal of Nursing has named our very own Helen Allen as 2011's Nurse of the Year. The award is presented annually to an individual who has made an outstanding achievement in nursing. The judges said they were incredibly impressed with Helen’s nomination in a category which had a very high calibre of entry.

Helen, 32 of Sale Moor, works on Ward F6 at Wythenshawe Hospital, and received the award at the prestigious Landmark Hotel in London, attended by guest speaker & TV face of ‘Embarrassing bodies’, ‘Supersize Vs Superskinny’, Dr Christian Jessen. Helen captured the imagination of the judges, for her nursing in its most global sense.

As well as working part time on the cardiothoracic surgery unit at Wythenshawe, Helen founded the Sale-based charity, PEPAIDS, alleviating poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa, which she runs voluntarily.

As a busy mum of two, George and Sophie, aged 2 and 4, Helen knows what it’s like trying to juggle everything that life brings, and she is passionate about enabling people to do something exciting that will really make a difference and that fits into their lives.

Helen designed an award-winning volunteer programme, helping win one of only 8 prizes from over 2500 entries in the Vodafone World of Difference International Competition 2010. The volunteering programme enables people from any walk of life to get involved in the UK or Africa, doing something that excites them with whatever time or skills that they have.

As well as sending nurses and other individuals out to Africa, Helen’s programme has involved three Manchester High Schools this year, Chorlton High School, Abraham Moss and Parrs Wood, fundraising and forming links with community Schools in Zambia.

For more information, please visit:

www.pepaids.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PEPAIDS
Twitter: http://twitter.com/PEPAIDS
Blog: http://worldofdifference.vodafone.co.uk/international/sasha-kasthuriarachchi/