Welsh Ambulance Service celebrates long-serving colleagues

THE Welsh Ambulance Service celebrated its long-serving staff and volunteers at an awards ceremony in South Wales yesterday.

Colleagues with 20, 30 and 40 years of service were presented with medals at Cardiff City Stadium in the second of six events across Wales to recognise length of service.

Colleagues with 20 years in the Emergency Medical Service were also presented with the Queen’s Long Service and Good Conduct Medal by the Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan, Mrs Morfudd Meredith.

Among the other distinguished guests were the High Sheriff of South Glamorgan, Mrs Rosie Moriarty-Simmonds OBE, Brigadier Andrew Dawes CBE, Commander of the 160th (Welsh) Brigade, Chief Superintendent Ian Roberts of Gwent Police and Mark Lewis, Chair of the South Wales Search and Rescue Association.

Chief Executive Jason Killens said: “Our Long Service Awards are a wonderful opportunity to recognise and celebrate the very lifeblood of the Welsh Ambulance Service – its people – and in particular, their length of service.

“Working for the ambulance service is not just any job – it’s a job that makes a real difference.

“Often when people are at their lowest ebb, our staff are the people to whom they turn, and it takes remarkable people to do the remarkable job they do, day in, day out.

“It’s mindboggling to think that all the Long Service Awards we presented yesterday amount to more than 1,500 years of service.

“Today and every day, we thank colleagues for their service.”

More than 400 colleagues across the Trust have been invited to receive a Long Service Award this year, the first in-person awards events since 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chair Martin Woodford added: “The reason the Welsh Ambulance Service is what it is rests with its people who work tirelessly, 24/7, to serve the people of Wales.

“What’s special about this year’s events is that it’s the first time in our history that our long-serving volunteers are also being recognised.

“Last year, we launched our first Volunteers’ Strategy, which sets out how volunteers will be better supported to deliver their role and better integrated into the workforce.

“It made perfect sense, therefore, to recognise their commitment to the people of Wales in the same way that we recognise staff.

“Congratulations to all of our recipients.”

Editor’s Notes
For more information, please call Head of Communications Lois Hough on 07866887559 or email Lois.Hough@wales.nhs.uk