 
				
			
			THE Welsh Ambulance Service has been celebrating its staff and volunteers at its annual awards ceremony.
	
	More than a dozen awards were presented at tonight’s virtual event to colleagues from every part of the service, in every corner of Wales.
	
	Among them were accolades for Team of the Year, Inspiring Others and Learning and Innovation, as well as the Gail Williams Award for clinical excellence.
	
	No less than four awards were presented to volunteers, including the Community First Responder of the Year Award and Volunteer Car Driver of the Year Award.
	
	The Trust also commended colleagues for their efforts to promote the Welsh language.
	
	Chief Executive Jason Killens said: “Working for the ambulance service is not just any job – it’s a job that makes a real difference.
	
	“When people are at their lowest ebb, we are the people to whom they turn, and it takes remarkable people to do what our staff and volunteers do day in, day out.
	
	“The WAST Awards give us an opportunity to celebrate everything that is great about this organisation, as well as the perfect chance to simply say ‘thank you’ – two words that mean so much.”
	
	Chair Coin Dennis added: “It’s more important than ever to say a big thank you to our people, without whom Wales’ national ambulance service would simply not exist.
	
	“Often, our people don’t realise that what they do is special, so the WAST Awards are an excellent way to shine a light on their work and recognise that effort.
	
	“The calibre of nominations this year was superb, and while everyone is a worthy winner in our eyes, tonight’s finalists really are the best of our best.
	
	“We heard some incredible stories as part of tonight’s ceremony, and I’d like to extend a huge and heartfelt congratulations to all of our winners.”
	
	The winners of the WAST Awards 2022 are –
	
	Emergency Medical Service Award
	North: Scott Timbrell – Paramedic
	Central and West: Huw Jackson – Health Board Clinical Lead
	South East: Will Hedges – Senior Paramedic
	
	Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service Award
	Central and West: Craig Figgures – Operational Team Leader
	South East: Caitlin Holvey – Ambulance Care Assistant
	All Wales: Lyndon Powell – Quality Assurance Manager
	
	Clinical Contact Centre Award
	North: Jessica Hamblett – Site Manager
	Central and West: Chris Jones – Clinical Contact Centre Systems Administrator
	South East: Chloe Walkley – Clinical Contact Centre Trainer
	
	Support Services Award
	North: Catherine Wynn Lloyd – Organisational Development Project Support Officer
	Central and West: Wendy Herbert – Assistant Director of Quality and Nursing
	South East: Ian McMurtrie – Project Support Officer
	
	Team of the Year Award
	Clinical Contact Centre Concerns Team
	
	Learning and Innovation Award 
	Elizabeth Price, Dewi Edwards and the 111 Quality, Safety and Patient Experience Team
	
	Inspiring Others Award
	North: William Dovey-Evans – Emergency Medical Technician
	Central and West: Callum Palin – Planner/Controller
	South East: Fi Kawe – Trainee Emergency Medical Technician
	
	Great Listener Award
	North: Sioned Ashworth – 111 Call Handler Co-ordinator
	Central and West: Ruth Davies – 111 Call Handler Co-ordinator
	South East: Elain Roberts – Call Taker Supervisor
	
	Welsh Language Award 
	Cerrie Douglass – Clinical Support Desk Clinician
Community First Responder of the Year Award
	Vaughn Richardson
	
	Community First Responder Team of the Year Award
	Tenby and South Pembrokeshire CFR Team
	
	Volunteer Car Driver of the Year Award
	Margaret Wright
	
	Volunteer of the Year Award
	Roger Marshall – Community First Responder
	
	People’s Choice Award 
	Erika Davies – Emergency Medical Technician
	
	Public Recognition Award
	Tonyrefail and Gilfach Goch Community Defibrillators Group
	
	Gail Williams Award
	Ross French – Advanced Paramedic Practitioner
	
	Chair’s Award 
	Catrin Convery – Locality Manager
	
	Chief Executive’s Award
	Clinical Contact Centre Clinical Support Desk
	
	Editors Notes
	For more information, please email WAS.Communications@wales.nhs.uk