Honouring the dedicated (Beds)

The great, the brave and the good have been honoured by the ambulance service in a special ceremony of celebration.

Guests at the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) annual awards on Friday heard about acts of bravery, going above and beyond for patients, and long careers in the ambulance service.

Trust Chief Executive Anthony Marsh opened proceedings at Tattersall’s Conference Centre in Newmarket, saying it was an opportunity “for us to recognise and celebrate the hard work, dedication and commitment of our wonderful ambulance staff and volunteers". He added: "Not many people can say that they work for an organisation that saves lives every day, but we do, and hundreds of thousands of patients benefit from the care they get from us every year."

Awards presented during the ceremony, sponsored by defibrillator manufacturer Ortus and WAS Special Vehicles, were for 20, 25, and 35 years’ long service and the Queen’s Medal for long service and good conduct – a medal specially for ambulance staff which was presented on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen by the Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire. The award winners have clocked up more than 1,400 years service between them. Other awards recognised the long service of volunteers, those who had gone above and beyond the call of duty in trying to save lives, bravery awards to two children who had cared for their mothers in an emergency, and outstanding achievement for staff and volunteers.

Awards were presented by Dr Dan Poulter, MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health, the Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire and Nigel Pickover, editor of the Eastern Daily Press and Editor-in-Chief, Archant Norfolk. Dr Marsh added : “I started my career in the ambulance service more than 27 years ago, so I know what a difficult job our staff and volunteers have. I am very proud to lead this ambulance service with such passionate and motivated staff and volunteers, who work day in and day out to help patients, often in their greatest hour of need.” Emergency Medical Technician David Penwright received two awards -the Queen's Medal and 25 years' long service. Georgina Humphreys was presented with a bravery award. Georgina, of Bedford, was woken in the early hours of the morning of August 10 by her little brother, Ryan (aged four). He’d been asleep in the same bed as his mum Danielle, 32, when he noticed that she was shaking. Georgina rushed in and realised her mum was suffering from hypoglycaemia, commonly known as having a diabetic crisis, a condition that can be incredibly dangerous for people with diabetes such as Danielle.

Thankfully, Georgina had been taught by her family what to do in such emergencies and had practiced calling 999 before; now she had to do it for real. In a situation that many adults would find scary, Georgina managed to stay calm and answer EEAST Call Handler Jade Kinsella’s questions.

Regional Community Partnership manager Lorna Hayes represented Bedfordshire to receive the Outstanding Achivement, given to each community first responder group.