Nurses honoured at Pride of Britain awards for contribution to Ebola relief effort

Two nurses who recovered from the Ebola virus were among thousands of healthcare professionals, aid workers and military personnel to receive special recognition at the Pride of Britain awards. 

(L-R) 2015 Pauline Cafferkey, Alice Burke, Anna Cross, Duane Jackson, Joshua Williamson, Tom Waters, David Cooper, Dee Pate, Sohana Collins, Dee Patel, Ben Clark, Mike Houlston, Paula Maguire, Amelia Gebruers, Dan Thompson, Peter Fuller, Joanne Thompson, Elaine Wyllie and Jess Evans

Will Pooley and Pauline Cafferkey were both diagnosed with Ebola after volunteering in Sierra Leone to tackle the spread of the deadly virus.

The pair, who made full recoveries, were among those honoured with a collective special recognition award at the Daily Mirror’s annual awards ceremony, televised last night. 

Winners have also visited Downing Street and Prime Minister David Cameron praised the hard work of British people in west Africa to help stop the spread of the disease. 

RCN president Cecilia Anim was on the judging panel. 

She said: ‘I was very, very proud of the nurses who went to west Africa not knowing what they were going to face. 

‘When they were there they did what nurses do best – caring and putting others before themselves.’

Barnsley midwife Paula Maguire won the fundraiser of the year award for setting up the original ice bucket challenge to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.