The inspirational nurse who has worked every Christmas Day since 1982

An inspirational nurse from Bury has been rewarded for her contributions to the social care sector with a prestigious award.

Karen Davies, 58, has been awarded the Gold Chief Nurse Adult Social Care Award, which recognises a select number of nurses in the UK each year who go above and beyond to make outstanding contributions in the field. She was nominated for the top-level award by her colleagues, in recognition of her skill, expertise and compassion.

The mum-of-five received the award in a virtual online awards ceremony presentation by the Department of Health and Social Care’s Chief Nurse, Deborah Sturdy. After 16 years as registered manager at Rose Court Care Home in Radcliffe, Karen is retiring from the post this week.

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And she said receiving the award was an emotional send-off into retirement.

Karen, who is an honorary lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University, told the M.E.N.: " I am very, very shocked and absolutely delighted at receiving this award. I am rarely stuck for words, but I couldn’t even speak.

"I was very teary-eyed. My family were over the moon.

"I am blown away by the recognition- it’s such a lovely feeling for people that you respect so much to recognise what you do."

Nursing has been Karen's passion since she began her training in 1982. She went from being a community nurse to the social care sector, where she has managed care homes and trained other nurses to manage their own care homes.

Raising the profile of nurses who work in the social care sector is of paramount importance to Karen.

The grandma-of-four continued: "Being a care home nurse is very different than being a nurse in an acute, fast-paced