ROYAL Surrey Hospital student midwife Maddy Taggart has been shortlisted for a prestigious national award, thanks to her ‘perfect and reassuring demeanour’ during even the most challenging of births.

Maddy, an undergraduate midwifery student at the University of Surrey, has been named a finalist for the Royal College of Midwives Student Midwife of the Year award.

She is one of only five finalists for the national award to recognise a student midwife who makes an outstanding contribution.

As vice president of the Midwifery Society at the University of Surrey, Maddy was also commended on how she uses her role to support and encourage first-year student midwives.

Amy Stubbs, deputy director of midwifery at Royal Surrey, said: “Maddy is an exceptional student midwife and goes out of her way to ensure the ladies and their partners are reassured and informed about the whole process.”

The winner of the Student Midwife of the Year award will be announced at a ceremony in London on Tuesday, May 5.