Nursing students mark end of their studies with emotional celebratory event
Date: Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Wrexham University nursing students came together with their lecturers for a special celebration to mark the completion of their studies – and prepare for their next steps of joining the region’s healthcare workforce.
The students are the first cohort to complete their degrees on the Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) commissioning contract, following a successful tender for funding back in 2022, which led to a partnership working arrangement between the University, HEIW and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB).
The soon-to-be qualified nurses studied on the institution’s Adult Nursing, Children’s Nursing and Mental Health Nursing degree courses. Some of which studied at the University’s Plas Coch campus in Wrexham and some at the St Asaph campus.
Significantly for St Asaph, the cohort are the first group of students to study in the central area of North Wales for 30 years.
Karen Griffiths, Principal Lecturer and Professional Lead for Nursing at the Plas Coch, Wrexham campus, said: “This is an incredible milestone and a huge reason to celebrate as this amazing group of students are our first cohort to complete their nursing undergraduate degrees under the new HEIW commissioning contract.
“It feels remarkable to know that successful funding contract has created opportunities, not only for people to pursue their ambition of becoming a nurse but also to strengthen our region’s NHS."
Jacqueline Mitchell, Principal Lecturer and Professional Lead for Nursing at the Plas Coch, Wrexham campus, said: “We are enormously proud of everything that our students have achieved over the past three years – and look forward to hearing all about their achievements beyond their studies. We wish them every success for the future.”
Alison Lester-Owen, Principal Lecturer and Professional Lead for Nursing at the St Asaph campus of Wrexham University, said: “For our students based in St Asaph, this moment is even more historic as they are the first student nurses to study both theory and practice in central North Wales in over 30 years. That’s not just a statistic – it’s a powerful reminder of how being able to access education closer to home can be transformative for both individuals and communities.
“I am so very proud to have been part of the students’ journeys. A huge congratulations to this incredible group of people, whose commitment and enthusiasm throughout the past three years had been both inspirational and humbling. It really is my great privilege to do this job along with the highly motivated and committed team based in St Asaph, educating our region’s future nurses and playing a part in building our local healthcare workforce.”
Professor Paul Davies, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Wrexham University, said: “At Wrexham University, we are incredibly proud of what our students have achieved — not just academically, but in the way they have embraced the demands of the programme, supported one another, and prepared themselves to step into vital roles in our health and care system.
“They are exactly the kind of graduates this region – and the nursing profession – needs: resilient, compassionate, skilled, and deeply rooted in the communities they are going on to serve.
“I also want to take this opportunity to thank our staff, our NHS partners, and our colleagues at HEIW and BCUHB for the commitment and co-operation that made this possible. This has been a truly collaborative effort.”
Martin Riley, Deputy Director of Education Commissioning and Quality at HEIW, said: “When HEIW commissioned this nursing course at Wrexham University in 2022, it wasn’t just about launching a qualification. It was about meeting a pressing need. It was about responding to the urgent demand for skilled, compassionate nurses in the region.
“The investment in healthcare education here is growing at an inspiring pace. Part of the vision was to launch a new healthcare education provision in St Asaph, as well as Wrexham, creating more local opportunities for future students to train closer to home.
“It is about accessibility, sustainability, and making sure we are building a workforce that is of the community.
“It is about building a healthcare system that reflects the people it serves. Nurses who speak the language, understand the culture, and can deliver compassionate care as integral members of the community. So HEIW were delighted to see the graduates and reflect on their incredible journey.”
Angela Wood, BCUHB’s Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery, added: “What a fabulous occasion to mark the first cohort of student nurses to finish their studies on this contract - and in central North Wales too, at the heart of our Health Board.
“I know the dedication it takes to train to be a nurse and I congratulate each and every one of those who will hopefully be celebrating at their graduation in the near future.
“It is really important we ‘grow our own’ staff. Giving opportunities to those who live in the areas they serve is vital to us giving the best care, with the best continuity of staffing. That live, learn, work ethic is really powerful.
“Those who come in from outside our region to work here do a wonderful job for us and we appreciate every single colleague. But providing chances to progress into nursing for those who live among us already, is really important in helping us to be seen as part of the communities we serve.”
- There’s still time to apply for the September 2025 intake of the Adult Nursing and Mental Health Nursing degrees at Wrexham University, you can find out more here.
