What a wonderful time The Real Birth Company had at the annual Herefordshire Business Awards last Friday night. Not only were we wined and dined in fine style, but we won the much-coveted Innovator of the Year Award! Cue wild celebrations, too many photos and lots of hugging.
Once the celebrations were over and we returned to the office on Monday we realised that we all had our own very personal reasons for feeling proud. We all bring different talents, abilities, and ideas to the company so we thought it would be a lovely idea to ask everyone in the team why the award meant so much to them. This is what they had to say…
Zoe Wright – Founder, CEO and Midwife
It’s amazing to receive a message saying that you have been nominated for an award and the email I received from The Herefordshire Business Awards, had us all feeling thrilled. For me, it was knowing that all the hard work the team has put in and continues to, has been recognised.
Creating and developing something that is new is really hard work! It takes years of commitment, belief, dedication, and enormous levels of passion, to see the innovation through all the difficulties and successes. It is essential to have a passionate and dedicated team, when I say team, what I really mean is family.
Each member of our Real Birth family has been drawn to the organisation through their own experiences or core values and when we come to work in the morning (or evening/weekend!), it’s not turning up to a job, it’s a coming together of minds and hearts. Being nominated made me feel proud of everyone’s achievements.
Being a digital health innovation brings with it a huge number of challenges, and for every challenge we have confronted, the amazing family at The Real Birth Company have worked steadily through it, together.
Winning the award was an amazing moment, and to stand and collect our award together, was a moment that we all shall remember.
Sarah Smith – Digital Midwife and Antenatal Teacher
I think for me winning the award is brilliant, as it gives recognition to all the years of hard work that the whole team have put into the business, and recognises not just the ‘shiny bits’ we see from the outside, as in the finished product, or the conversations, emails and presentations we make to hospitals, or the teaching that we do, but also the bits that don’t really get to see the light of day. All the hard work that goes on in the background, the development side, the real nuts and bolts of the programme, that don’t get as much recognition as they should.
Not only that, it gives me a huge amount of pride to work for such a dynamic, innovative, and resourceful company, who are using digital technology to meet the needs of service users and the NHS Trusts we work with. The Real Birth Programme significantly improves the birth experience not only for both mums and families, but also midwives and doctors and all those involved in supporting maternity services helping create better outcomes for all.
Julia – Office and HR Manager
I feel very strongly about a woman’s right to choice during birth, so seeing the hard work, passion and commitment that continually goes into the development of our Digital Workshop and the help it provides to pregnant women from all walks of life is inspiring and to be part of that makes me very proud. Receiving recognition of our achievement from the Herefordshire Business Awards validates the passion and determination we all feel, and I can’t wait to see what the next few years bring
Abbie – Administrative Assistant
Being a part of this company when it won the Innovation award has made me feel incredibly proud! Seeing everyone’s hard work and determination pay off on such an amazing subject matter is incredible. I honestly couldn’t be prouder of this organisation and its meaning!
Annemarie – Events and Client Liaison
Winning this award shows that hard work and perseverance pays off. It is a privilege to work under great leadership and with a great team that brought us to this point, and we won’t stop here.
Leah – Antenatal Teacher and Lactation Specialist
I am so delighted that our company received the award of Innovator of the Year 2022. It is recognition of the incredible work that The Real Birth Company is doing here in the UK and internationally and which makes such a difference to the lives of women and babies and families. It is inspiring and a privilege to be part of this company and to do my work within it and as part of it. I am looking to the future with positivity and excitement, as the work we do continues to evolve and grow.
Dan – IT and Project Manager
Having developed the digital workshop from an idea talked about around our kitchen table to a system that is now used within the NHS is an amazing feeling and to now having recognition from the Herefordshire Business Awards as Innovator of the Year is the icing on the cake.
Shae – Digital Media Assistant Huge news, I’m proud to be part of this team
We know it isn’t always about the winning and sometimes it is about the taking part but for a small business operating in these very uncertain times winning an award is a welcome validation of the work we are doing and means a lot to Zoe and the team. Everything we do is driven by the desire to educate women in their right to choice during birth and to improve the birthing experience and outcome for them, their babies, and families.
