Bev is a Bereavement Midwife at Airedale Hospital in West Yorkshire. 

She started her General Nurse training in 1982 and was inspired by the Midwives she worked alongside during an Obstetric placement in her second year. She then went on to do her midwifery training, qualifying in 1988. 

After being nominated and shortlisted for last year’s Elaine Thorp Award for Bereavement Care, Bev has been nominated again for the 2024 award by two bereaved parents she cared for, Fiona and Jodie. 

Fiona explained in her nomination how Bev ‘didn’t just do her job’, but held her, listened to her and provided information so she was able to make the right decisions for her baby. 

She said: “Bev was a stranger but within one minute of meeting her she is hugging me and holding my hand through an extremely difficult time. She was able to answer questions I didn't even know I needed to ask. Her knowledge and insights meant I was able to make more memories with our baby as she understood that those memories mattered. 

“Bev made it possible for me to go back to the hospital and spend time without baby, which provided me with so much comfort through the grieving process. She was like my guardian angel who I still speak to.”  

In Jodie’s nomination, she described Bev as ‘selfless’ and ‘constantly putting bereaved parents’ first.  

She said: “If it wasn’t for Bev, I wouldn’t have made it through my bereavement. Her and the team within the Sunbeam group were my lifeline when I lost my son. They will always hold a very special place in my heart!” 

Bev is a co-founder of the Sunbeam Support Group, which started offering monthly meetings for families back in 2014. Two years later, the Sunbeam Garden opened as a special place for bereaved families to visit and spend time in. A Tree of Tranquillity, the only one of its kind in England, is the centrepiece of the garden. The creation of this special place is one of Bev’s ‘proudest achievements’. 

Jodie added: “Bev is the most empathetic person I have come across, she is one amazing lady who is full to the brim with lots of knowledge.  

“Everyone needs a Bev Beaumont in their lives, she is honestly the most amazing woman I’ve ever come across. All her hard work, nurturing, knowledge, caring, compassion - we would be lost without her, and she truly does deserve this award.” 

On being nominated and shortlisted for the award, Bev said: “I was really surprised again to be nominated for this award and deeply humbled by it. Parents and families suffering from loss have enough in their lives to cope with let alone taking time to do a nomination. To be shortlisted again for this prestigious award is amazing. 

“There is no greater honour than providing high quality, personalised support and care to these families. Being an advocate for them has always been important to me.”