On Friday 5 May, International Day of the Midwife (IDM) was celebrated around the world. At a system level we were provided the opportunity to thank our midwifery colleagues at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital (SaTH) for all that they do.

This year's IDM theme, 'Together again: from evidence to reality' is a nod to the upcoming 33rd ICM Triennial Congress, where the global midwife community will come together for the first time in more than five years. At a local level it also honours the efforts of midwives to translate critical evidence into meaningful change for the women and families they care for. Put simply, our midwives’ commitment to putting cutting edge research into action means those we care for at SaTH are receiving the best and safest care possible.

Midwives provide bespoke, skilled, intuitive care during one of the most exciting but daunting times of life. From early pregnancy to labour and the first few weeks of life, the contribution midwives make in their help and support to families cannot be underestimated. Here is a snapshot of a year in maternity services to show the people that make up our service and some facts and figures about the new lives that have begun at SaTH: