A STOURBRIDGE midwife has been honoured with a prestigious university fellowship for her "passion and commitment" to midwifery and campaigning work for women's rights.

Elsie Gayle was presented with an Honorary Fellowship on Monday September 18 during one of the University of Wolverhampton's graduation ceremonies at Wolverhampton's Grand Theatre.

The honour was made in recognition of Elsie’s contribution and dedication to midwifery and her commitment towards black and minority ethnicity community and women’s rights, particularly in the areas of childbirth and mental health services.

Elsie, who is founder of Midwifery Conversations - a holistic non-governmental organisation dedicated to sustainable and ‘culturally safe’ maternity services, said: “I am deeply honoured to receive this high award from the University of Wolverhampton.

"In accepting this Honorary Fellowship I would like to acknowledge my family, friends, colleagues and clients who continue to support my journey to achieving critical improvements in public health and wellbeing.”

Born in Jamaica, Elsie came to England in the 1970s to train as a nurse, then midwife.

She has lived in the West Midlands since the 1990s, but has also worked in Jamaica and Botswana where her work focussed on prevention of mother to baby transmission of HIV/AIDS.

Regularly called upon to speak nationally and internationally, she is patient leader for NHS Midlands and East and regional lead for maternity, obstetrics, patient safety and patient voice within the Healthwatch and Public Involvement Association.

She is also a member of the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s BME Research Advisory forum, dedicated to improving the regulatory experience of nurses and midwives.

Elsie also belongs to Wolverhampton’s African Caribbean Community Initiative and she works to reduce workplace bullying as chairman of the Tim Field Memorial Lecture Committee. She also co-chairs the Society of African and Caribbean Midwives in the UK.