Dame Josephine Barnes Bursary

The bursary is owned by and used by ACPWH for educational and research needs and for promoting women's health and continence in this country and abroad.

The bursary fund is topped up each year. Up to £3000 per year will be made available for this award and this amount will be reviewed every two years by the executive committee.

The implementation of the awards will be overseen by a small group from the executive and the education sub-committee which will normally include the ACPWH chairman and treasurer.

Applications to the bursary

Application forms are available electronically from the ACPWH website. Applications will be considered every six months and should normally be submitted, via email, to the chairman before the closing dates of January 1^st and July 1^st each year.

Applications - whether single or as a group - can be retrospective or anticipatory.

The applicants must produce information about the course/research they are embarking on, along with all cost implications. There should also be evidence of applying, or the intention to apply, elsewhere for additional funding.

In all cases, the maximum amount granted shall be £500, and there is no minimum amount that shall be awarded.

Use of the bursary

It will be made available for use in the following ways;

1. Part-funding of courses

a. To help towards subsidising up to four places on the validated university courses which are recognised by ACPWH as a route to membership of the association. In order to qualify for this assistance the candidate must be a member or affiliate of the association and will be required to pledge a further year's membership on completion of the course.

b. To part-fund places on other appropriate courses/conferences in this country or abroad.

c. To give financial help to those doing a Master's degree relevant to women's health and/or continence.

2. The development of research in women's health and continence

a. To give funding towards research projects relevant to women's health and/or continence

b. To fund/part-fund a course which would enable a project or a piece of research to be undertaken.

c. To encourage evidence based practice, e.g. an ACPWH annual workshop on how to get started with a research project. This would be at member's request.

d. To promote a project nationally for the benefit of physiotherapists working in women's health or continence, e.g. standardised outcome measures or research organised country-wide -small groups bringing information centrally.

3. Directive of the Association

a. Fund an issue that emerges from the discussion groups at the annual conference that the members consider needs addressing.

b. Enable members to travel abroad where they would be acting as an ambassador for ACPWH and also promoting of women's health and/or continence.

Criteria for selection

All applicants must:

• Be a paid up member or affiliate of ACPWH

• Fill in/complete the necessary application form

• Provide evidence that they have sought funding elsewhere, whether successful or unsuccessful, including any employer's contribution i.e study leave

• Give concise reasons for application, explaining the benefits to women's health, the Association, the patient, and/or physiotherapy generally

• Provide a Curriculum Vitae

• Explain the relevance to the applicant's career development and future Continuing Professional Development

• Provide a precise breakdown of expected expenses i.e course fees, travel, subsistence

• Seek the cheapest travel and accommodation (within reasonable limits, i.e block travel bookings by agreed carriers, block hotel bookings, APEX and cheap return tickets)

• When travelling abroad, provide evidence of adequate insurance cover

• Provide a précis of the course content or research project, or an abstract of the lecture or poster presentation

• Provide evidence of acceptance on the course or an invitation to speak

• Agree to provide a write-up for the ACPWH journal

• Submit the application before the agreed deadline

Margie Polden, FCSP, who died in 1998, worked at the Hammersmith Hospital in London, where she initiated and developed physiotherapy in obstetrics and gynaecology, and within ACPOG - now ACPWH - she made an enormous contribution to the education of physiotherapists and other professionals.

Never afraid to be combative, she vigorously and knowledgeably debated and discussed with clinical colleagues, lectured, and wrote for professional publications. She also had the ability to reach out to the public, with witty, pertinent and informative articles and talks on women's health issues. In doing so she furthered the cause and raised the profile of physiotherapy in obstetrics and gynaecology and made a real impact on the lives of countless women.

Through her work and books, Margie, a loved and respected member of ACPWH influenced and educated numerous physiotherapy students.

Within our own Association many members of ACPWH wished to honour Margie and this was made possible through the generosity of Margie's family. This has enabled the creation of the Margie Polden Memorial Fund, which supports the Margie Polden Memorial Lecture and the Margie Polden Bursary.

The Margie Polden Memorial Lecture

This will be delivered annually at the ACPWH conference and will be from a guest speaker chosen by the education sub-committee of ACPWH.

The Margie Polden Bursary

A bursary was set up in memory of Margie by the generosity of her husband to fund a place at the ACPWH conference for a student or newly-qualified Physiotherapist. This bursary will be awarded annually to an applicant who is able to demonstrate an interest in the field of women's health, obstetrics and gynaecology, and is keen to develop that interest further.

The applicant should be a pre-registration Physiotherapy student, or have qualified during the same year as the conference. He/ she must also be a member or student member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP).

The bursary funds both the conference fee and accommodation costs, however it does not fund the travel costs for the recipient.

Criteria for Selection:

1. Applicants must be either:

   1. A student physiotherapist working towards a CSP-recognised pre-registration degree or

   2. A physiotherapist who has qualified during the same year as the conference

2. Applicants must be either a student member or member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

3. Applicants must:

   1. Complete the application form

   2. Provide a personal statement as requested on the application form

An application form may be found at the bottom of this web-page and should be returned by email to the chairman by July 1^st each year.

The Anne Bird Award

Anne Bird was chairman of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (now ACPWH) from 1985 to 1988. As superintendent of the physiotherapy department of Bristol Royal Infirmary she created a centre of excellence for obstetric and gynaecological physiotherapy. The Anne Bird Prize commemorates the life of Anne Bird by encouraging and recognising in others those qualities which she valued.

The Anne Bird Award will normally be awarded annually to an individual, or individuals, who show overall excellence, professionalism and empathy in their educational development within the ACPWH. The successful nominee will also have made a special contribution to an ACPWH post-registration course or to physiotherapy in women's health.

Each nominee will be nominated by three people, one of whom must be an ACPWH member.

Nominations shall be confidential and should be completed on an application form found at the bottom of this web-page and should be returned by email to the chairman by July 1^st each year.

Criteria for Nomination

• Nominee must be a member or affiliate of ACPWH

• At least one of the three nominators must be a member of ACPWH

A nominiation form is available at the end of this page.

Information and Forms

Information for the bursaries and prizes and their application forms can be downloaded below. Completed application forms should be sent to the Chairman.

The Dame Josephine Barnes Bursary
Dame Josephine Barnes Bursary Application Form

The Margie Polden Memorial Fund
Margie Polden Bursary Fund Application Form

The Anne Bird Award

Anne Bird Award Nomination Form