MIDWIVES from the Royal Surrey County Hospital celebrated International Day of the Midwife at the hospital last Friday. This year's event run by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) champions the right for mothers everywhere to have access to midwifery care under the 'keeping birth normal' theme. There was a host of fundraising initiatives to raise the profile of their profession and help provide midwifery services to women and newborns in developing countries. Part of the monies raised at the event will go towards funding "safe motherhood" initiatives in countries as diverse as Afghanistan and Macedonia, with cash raised being used to improve the availability of expert midwiferey for all. Additionally, funds were raised for the Maternity Unit's Safe Delivery Trust Fund. The International Day of the Midwife (IDM) fundraising event – run by the RCM – is part of the third UK-wide Midwifery Week which will see hundreds of midwives around the UK raising funds and awareness of their profession. Midwives at the Guildford hospital joined forces with fellow RCM members to sell special commemorative credit card torches and supporting the IDM balloon release at the event. The RCM hopes to raise £20,000 for safe motherhood projects with all proceeds going directly to: lWorking with the Macedonian Nurses and Midwives Association to increase the number of midwives in Macedonia and develop a midwifery education curriculum.
