Bermuda Hospitals Board, with the support of a Bermuda Hospitals Charitable Trust donation, is investing $350,000 in scholarships and staff development and training this fiscal year.

Ten scholarships have been awarded.

New for the year is a fund for MWI psychiatric nurse development, along with a new annual Bermuda College nursing scholarship, named in memory of Dashunte Furbert.

Ms Furbert was a BHB employee who worked in the chief of staff office while training at the Bermuda College in nursing. She passed away last year as she was taking on her first nursing post.

Scott Pearman, chief operation officer, said: “I would like to thank the BHCT for its generous donation to support our award programmes for students and our training development opportunities for the employees of BHB. Encouraging Bermudians into healthcare and ensuring our staff get the training and development needed to maintain high quality services and move into leadership positions is vital for the long term stability of healthcare services in Bermuda.

“As we face financially challenging times, especially this year with our budget reduction, BHB is very grateful to the BHCT and its donors for their desire to make a difference and support this education and training programme.“

Jonathan Brewin, chairman of the BHCT, added: “BHCT’s role is to raise funds to support a high quality service at BHB. A number of donors had told us they wanted their donations used for education and training as it has a long term benefit to the healthcare services provided at BHB. I am therefore very pleased to see this money used to encourage the next generation of healthcare workers and train and develop BHB staff. As the fundraising arm for BHB, we are very grateful to our donors and pleased that we can direct funds to where they are needed most to improve the healthcare services provided to Bermuda by BHB.”

The general scholarships are open to anyone in the healthcare field but this year there is a special focus on encouraging Bermudians into the nursing pathway at the Bermuda College.

Angela Fraser-Pitcher, vice-president of human resources, said: “All of us at BHB are very pleased to establish an annual scholarship in memory of Dashunte. She was very much loved and respected by all her colleagues.

“While she did not live long enough to take up her nursing position after qualifying, through this scholarship her legacy will live on offering financial support to encourage future Bermudian nurses. Thank you to the BHCT and the donors for their support.”

2017 BHB Scholarship Recipients

Seta Douglas — $10,000 over two years — nursing degree, St Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia

Lalique Simmons — $10,000 over two years — nursing degree, Oakwood University, Huntsville, Alabama

Dymond DeSilva — $10,000 over two years — nursing degree, Ryerson University, Toronto

Ez-Zarhá Shakir — $10,000 over one year — nursing degree, University of Nottingham, Britain

Asha Caisey — $5,500 over one year — nursing degree — new nursing scholarship in memory of Dashunte Furbert, Bermuda College

Azhanaé Oliver — $5,500 over one year — nursing degree — new nursing scholarship in memory of Dashunte Furbert, Bermuda College

Lynnique Castle — $10,000 over three years — master’s of pharmacy degree — GlaxoSmithKline Recipient 2017, Durham University, Britain

Tenneil Ratteray — $10,000 — three years — doctoral degree, physical therapy, Andrews University, Berrien Springs

Adriene Berkeley — $5,000 — one year — PhD counselling psychology, City, University of London

Allanna Bean — $10,000 — four years — PhD clinical psychology, Arizona School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University, Phoenix