A Jamaican National from Elderslie, St Elizabeth, Jamaica, Dr Neslyn Watson-Druée, CBE has been awarded the honour of Dame Commander of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (DBE) by King Charles III of The United Kingdom and Commonwealth in the 2023 Birthday Honours.
Dr Neslyn has made significant contributions in the fields of leadership, personal and career development for staff in the public, private and third sectors through voluntary organisations, local government, banking and commerce. She has been selfless in supporting young people in the black community to move away from the influence of gangs and crime and she has donated from her own savings to provide employment and to establish Colourful Radio (a community radio station intended to help young black people).
She has excelled as a mentor, coach and role model for ethnic minority NHS staff. She has developed training programmes which have been sustained over decades to contribute to the advancement of people from black and ethnic minority communities, enabling many of them to break through the glass ceiling. For example, she designed the template for the Black and Minority Ethnic Leadership Programme which has been running for over 20 years in NHS hospitals and Community Trusts.
Dr Neslyn said: "I am absolutely astonished and filled with inexplicable joy for this honour to be appointed as a Dame. I am forever in awe of the fact that I came to this country from rural Jamaica as part of the Windrush Generation filled with hope, confidence and a desire to achieve.
"Over the years I have grown into a leader, a pioneer nurse entrepreneur, a business angel for the ethnic minority community Premier executive coach for his majesty’s government. I have had the honour of spending over 40 years empowering and developing women and people of colour to release their creativity, vision, intelligence and to stand in their power. It has been a wonderful journey.
"I seek to encourage young people to know that they can succeed at whatever they put their mind to provided it is rooted in unshakable, kindness, generosity and courage."
No stranger to high profile Dr Neslyn has a catalogue of Awards:
2021 Lifetime Achievement Award – Zenith Global Health
2018 Woman of Excellence – Women Economic Forum
2017 Leadership & Empowerment Award – Phoenix Newspaper
2017 Stardust Award - Radio Works World
2017 Women of the Decade in Community Leadership & Social Change Award – Women Economic Forum
2017 Radio Works World Author’s Award
2017 Inaugural Best 100 Global Coaching Leaders – World HRD Congress
2014 Wise Women Award for Business Innovation
2013 Inaugural Top 50 HSJ BME Pioneer
2013 Her Majesty’s Queen Elizabeth 11 Medal for Health Service Innovation and Leadership July 2013
2012 Windrush Award for Nursing Innovation
2012 Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) for Health Service Development.
2005. Hon Doctorate Birmingham City University
2005. Hon Doctorate Bradford City University
2005. Fellow of City and Guilds London Institute
2001 Fellowship of the Royal College of Nursing
1999. Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for Nursing Leadership 1999. Millennium Nurse - Special Recognition Award by Secretary of State for Health for outstanding contribution to nursing
1999. Gold Standard Special Pioneering Award - Leadership Development in Public Sector (British Diversity Awards – BDA))9
1997 Special Honours Windrush Achievement Award (BDA)
1996 Gold Standard Award by British Diversity Awards for improving employee potential.
1996 National Training Award by the Government Office for London
1996 Consultancy and Training award by American Express through EFBWBO
1986 Industrial Society ESSO Management Development Scholarship.
