Healthcare educator honoured with national award for outstanding achievement 

A 45-year-old educator whose career spans nursing, research, and teaching has been named the winner of a prestigious national award celebrating excellence in health and social care education. 

Sara Louise Gilpin, a lead educator at Southern Regional College in Northern Ireland, has received the CACHE Outstanding Achievement Award at NCFE’s Aspiration Awards 2025. The award recognises individuals who have made a significant and lasting impact within the care and education sectors. 

As course director for the NCFE CACHE Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care Services (Northern Ireland), Sara has introduced new resources and created an inclusive and practical teaching environment, transforming the learning experience for hundreds of adult learners – many of whom are returning to education after long absences or career breaks. 

Sara said: “The highlight of teaching these students is sharing with them the pride in their achievements when they graduate from their course, after feeling at the start that it was an impossible task that they would never accomplish.” 

Away from the classroom, Sara has led the development of a new healthcare practice course in collaboration with The Open University – the first of its kind in Northern Ireland – enabling learners to complete the equivalent of the first year of a nursing degree.  

Sara also received an Award of Merit from the Royal College of Nursing in 2024 for introducing the RCN Nursing Cadet Scheme to Northern Ireland, helping young people gain hands-on experience and explore careers in healthcare, and will attend Stormont later this year as part of the Chief Nursing Officer’s initiative to widen participation in healthcare careers. 

Anna Martin, Curriculum Area Manager at Southern Regional College, said: “Sara’s tireless efforts to reduce inequalities and amplify the voices of the underrepresented make her a role model to students and colleagues alike. She is outstanding in every sense of the word.” 

The CACHE Outstanding Achievement Award was introduced to mark the 80th anniversary of CACHE qualifications, a milestone being celebrated in 2025 through NCFE’s Why Should I Care? campaign, championing the educators, practitioners, and frontline workers whose passion drives progress in social care, early years, and education.  

This award has succeeded in celebrating the breadth of talent across these sectors, with two individuals also going on to receive highly commended recognition for their outstanding contributions – including 17-year-old apprentice Luca Filmer. 

Luca, a Level 3 Lead Adult Care Worker apprentice with Access Skills Ltd, has been recognised for his exceptional commitment to adult social care and his determination to succeed despite significant challenges.  

Since joining Clark Care Services, he has become a valued team member known for his empathy, maturity, and ability to build strong relationships with service users. His dedication extends beyond the workplace, from supporting food bank access for vulnerable individuals to responding to emergency calls on Christmas Eve. Luca’s ambition to become an Army Combat Medic reflects the resilience and compassion that earned him this commendation. 

Also highly commended is Emma Clegg, Senior Lecturer at Darlington College, for her decades-long commitment to early years education. With over 20 years of teaching experience, Emma has supported thousands of learners across a wide range of programmes, from Level 2 Safeguarding to the T Level in Education and Early Years. 

Known for her creativity and care, Emma has embraced innovation, including using AI-generated podcasts to bring policy content to life – and is a trusted mentor to both students and colleagues. Her leadership, warmth, and dedication have helped shape a supportive and inspiring learning environment across the college. 

You can read more about Sara and the winners of the 2025 Aspiration Awards by visiting this webpage.