Cheryl Hale, a family nurse with East Coast Community Healthcare, wanted to be a midwife since having her own children.

She said: 'I first trained as a direct entry midwife and worked locally as a midwife for seven years. I then completed my health visitor training and when I qualified was lucky to be offered my current job as a family nurse with the family nurse partnership.

'I love my job. It's so rewarding when you feel that you have made a positive difference to someone's life. My current role is supporting hard to reach, teenage first-time parents, until their child is two years old. I feel privileged to be working with these parents and am amazed at the resilience and determination they demonstrate.'

She said managing a demanding caseload could be challenging but said she learned from the parents she supported every day.

'I would certainly encourage others to enter the profession,' she said.

'Every job has its challenges, but within nursing and midwifery I think that the satisfaction you get when you can really do the job that you love beats every other job that I've ever had.'