Our Action Group
Mission Statement
The National BAME Health & Care Awards seeks to recognise, celebrate and reward the achievements of BAME medical, health, and social care professionals, improved services for BAME communities and triumphs in areas of multiple discrimination that are often marginalised.
The Awards will promote high standards of healthcare practice and advocate an ethos of BAME excellence in healthcare practice.
We remain indebted to our BAME health and care staff who continue to provide unparalleled quality care and together will continue to passionately champion health equality for all to ensure real and lasting change for our BAME colleagues and our communities.
Wendy Olayiwola
Biography
Wendy Olayiwola’ s values personal development, philanthropy, and mentoring, just as passionately promoting and advocating for equality, are integral to her core values and beliefs.
Wendy is a registered nurse and practising midwife with more than two decades of clinical practice and leadership in the community and public health. The recognition and influence of her ability and impact in England and internationally are evident by her charitable work and contributions, publications and speaking internationally.
She is very passionate about supporting and empowering nurses and midwives to provide culturally sensitive and holistic care for women and their families.
Wendy has held various senior operational and specialist positions and project management roles in maternity. She was appointed into her current role as the National Maternity Lead for Equality NHS England in February 2021.
Wendy has co-authored articles in professional midwifery journals, including Talking to Men about FGM. Reducing the incidence of Stillbirths in Black women and Sustaining quality education and practice learning in a pandemic and beyond: ‘I have never learnt as much in my life, as quickly, ever’. Significant blogs include Caring for the Carers – RCN midwifery forum and promoting cultural safety and cultural intelligence – dismantling racism in maternity care -UNICEF.
Wendy is a member of the Nursing and Midwifery Council Equality Diversity and Inclusion. Research Advisory Group and Midwifery Panel. She is the Lead midwife/co-chair of CNO CMiDO BME Strategic Advisory Group NHS England and a member of the Race Health Observatory (RHO) maternity group chaired by the Chief midwifery officer for England.
Wendy was awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for service to the NHS and Equality during the COVID-19 response in the 2021 New Year’s Honours List. In March 2022, she was awarded a Royal College of Midwives (RCM)fellowship and admitted as a fellow of the African Society of Arts (FRSA) 2020. She was listed in the 2020 year of the Nurse and Midwife Global WHO/UN/WGH 100 outstanding women nurse and midwife leader. She is the winner of the NHS@70 Women Leaders Award 2018
David Truswell
Biography
David is Executive Director of the Dementia Alliance for Culture and Ethnicity (www.demace.com ), a UK social enterprise developed by local and national voluntary organisations working with dementia and is an independent writer and researcher on dementia support and services for Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities with several journal publications of the issues.
He is also the Director of somefreshthinking limited, a healthcare consultancy working on service redesign and change management in health and social care services.
David has worked in community-based mental health services in the UK for over thirty years, developing services for people with complex care needs and enduring mental health problems. His career spans the voluntary sector, local authority services, and the NHS at a senior level.
Cherron Inko-Tariah MBE
Biography
Cherron Inko-Tariah MBE is an author, consultant, facilitator and coach. She is a former civil servant and has undertaken leadership roles in various policy and strategic positions across Whitehall, including working with Ministers and Permanent Secretaries. In 2012, after publishing her book: The Incredible Power of Staff Networks, Cherron founded The Power of Staff Networks consultancy where she provides a wide range of services. She is passionate about staff networks and the positive impact these can have on the individual and the organisation.
Cherron is also a Non-Executive Director at Homerton University Hospital, an associate consultant for PDT Global and, advisory friend to the Institute of Equality and Diversity Professionals. In 2011, Cherron received an MBE for her services to HM Government and for her work in the faith community with young people. In 2019, Cherron won Woman of the Community category of the Wise Women Awards.
Cheryl Cole
Biography
Cheryl Cole is the Editor of DiversityQ and has worked for GSK, The Birmingham Post, Investment Week and Bloomberg.
Cheryl is an award-winning and innovative journalist and editor with over 20 years experience in implementing effective communication and publishing strategies.
Most recently, Cheryl was a Communications Business Partner for the Global Banking and Markets, and Commercial Banking divisions at HSBC.
She was the editor of GSK’s UK Pharma print and online magazine for over 13 years, as well as other publications and internal communications for the business.
Cheryl joined Trinity Mirror in 2001 as a business reporter before becoming City Editor of the Birmingham Post. Prior to that she worked at Incisive Media on Investment Week and Bloomberg Money magazines.
Cheryl started her journalistic career in Bloomberg. She is also a qualified dispensing optician.
Cheryl is passionate about affording equal opportunities to all in the workplace, regardless of their difference.
Lawrence Gosling
Biography
Lawrence Gosling has been a financial and business journalist for nearly 40 years and is a former editorial director of SmallBusiness.co.uk and Growthbusiness.co.uk.
He is currently the head of Content, and PR and Comms for Artemis Fund Managers, which has been managing investments for charities, pension funds and private investors for over 25 years.
Through its charitable foundation, Artemis has distributed over £13 million to a range of small charities in the UK and India and Africa, including a number aimed at improving the health of communities.