Mrs Vernester Cyril OBE was born in Castries, St Lucia and travelled to the UK in 1962. She carried with her one burning ambition - to become a nurse. Mrs Cyril trained first as a nurse at the Royal Gwent and St Woolos Hospitals in Newport and then as a midwife. She worked at Lydia Beynon Maternity Hospital [now part of the Celtic Manor Resort] for three years, before returning to the Royal Gwent where she remained for the next thirty years. Mrs Cyril worked tirelessly and was promoted to senior midwife manager.