The Sid Valley’s own Admiral Nurse has won a community award for her ‘pivotal’ work and ‘shining example’ supporting families and carers affected by dementia.

Heidi Crook won community nurse of the year at the first Devon Community Education Provider Network (CEPN) Excellence in Nursing awards.

Residents rallied to support the Sid Valley Memory Café in a £100,000 campaign for a dementia specialist and have continued to help the charity towards its £55,000 a year total to keep the service.

Heidi was appointed in March last year and has worked with teams hosted by the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital Foundation Trust, local GPs and support groups to provide families living with dementia with additional support.

Heidi said: “It is an honour to receive this award as Devon’s first Admiral Nurse. I’d also like to thank all of my community colleagues who have supported me since I started this post.

“Helping families face dementia is something I’m incredibly passionate about and to get this kind of recognition shows the impact that Admiral Nurses can have in the local community.”

In her role, Heidi works with the entire family of a person living with dementia to provide emotional and practical support.

Duncan Watt, chair of Sid Valley Memory Café, said: “I am absolutely delighted that Heidi’s skills and hard work have been recognised in this way.

“News such as this really does highlight her invaluable role in the Sid Valley and why it’s so important that the community, led by Sid Valley Memory Café, continues to fundraise for this worthwhile cause supporting families affected by dementia.”

Admiral Nurses are trained and provided across the country by Dementia UK.

There are currently 226 working across England, Scotland and Wales and the target is to have 300 in place by 2020.

Dr Hilda Hayo, chief Admiral Nurse and CEO at Dementia UK, said: “Heidi’s professionalism, competency and clinical expertise have stood out since her appointment.

“Through her incredible efforts, more families in Devon will now be receiving specialist dementia support. She is simply a shining example of what it means to be an Admiral Nurse.”