Welsh Ambulance Service colleagues recognised in the King's New Year Honours List
30.12.25
Three Welsh Ambulance Service colleagues have been recognised in the King’s New Year Honours List.
Locality Manager Cath John has been awarded the King’s Ambulance Service Medal (KAM) for distinguished service while Emergency Ambulance Practitioner Nigel Jones and Operational Team Leader Dean Caldwell have been appointed Members of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for voluntary services.
The King’s New Year Honours List celebrates those who have made exceptional contributions to their local communities and the country as a whole.
Emma Wood, Chief Executive of the Welsh Ambulance Service, said: “I’m delighted that Cath, Dean and Nigel have been recognised in the King’s New Year Honours List.
"We’re incredibly proud of colleagues who go that extra mile for patients and their communities.
“These awards recognise the hard work and dedication given by Nigel, Dean and Cath over the years, and I’d like to personally extend a huge congratulations to them.”
Swansea-based Cath began her ambulance service career in 1995 and worked in non-emergency patient transport before completing her Emergency Medical Technician training in 1999.
The mother-of-two completed her Paramedic training in 2004 and stayed in that role for 11 years before becoming a Clinical Team Leader in 2015.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Cath worked as an Operations Manager and in 2021, took on her latest role as a Locality Manager.
She said: “I’ve been with the Welsh Ambulance Service for over 30 years and I love what I do.
“Working here has given me so many opportunities and has allowed me to work alongside some really special and dedicated people.
“I can honestly see myself being here for many years to come and I’m grateful to everyone who has helped me along the way.”
Cath, 54, only found out about her KAM after returning from annual leave.
She said: “I had just come back from leave and was sorting through hundreds of emails when I saw a notification telling me that I was being awarded the KAM.
“At first, I didn’t know whether it was real as it said on the email that I shouldn’t tell anyone until the list was officially announced.
“I managed to keep it quiet, but it was only a few days ago when I saw my name on the official list that it really sank in.”
Meanwhile, Nigel’s career started in 1980 when he joined the Royal Corps of Signals, serving the majority of his time with 216 Parachute Signals Squadron.
In 1991, he joined Hampshire Fire and Rescue Services where he remained until 2015, before joining the Welsh Ambulance Service.
Despite always working full-time, volunteer work was and still is a huge part of Nigel’s life.
In 2006, he became a volunteer with the Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Airmen’s Families Association, where he supported serving soldiers, veterans and their families to adjust to civilian life.
In 2014, he also volunteered alongside the Longtown Mountain Rescue Team in Abergavenny, helping lost or injured members of the public on the Welsh mountains.
Nigel is a member of REACT, the humanitarian rapid response charity, who deploy volunteer responders in the immediate aftermath of disasters to help vulnerable people in hard-to-reach areas.
As part of his role with REACT, Nigel was deployed across the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic, supporting the building of Nightingale hospitals, delivering PPE and helping with vaccine administration.
He has also been deployed to provide support following bush fires across Australia, post-earthquake support in Turkey and two separate deployments to Ukraine.
The 61-year-old, who lives in Penperlleni, Monmouthshire, was volunteering in Jamaica when he learned he was being honoured.
He said: “I was in Jamaica helping with relief efforts following Hurricane Melissa when I got a call from my wife, Helen.
“It was a complete surprise to learn that I would be receiving an MBE and as the news started to sink in, I felt enormously proud to be receiving such an honour.
“Helen told me that the letter had been at our home for a while before she opened it and it was a good thing she did because we almost missed the cut off date for responding and accepting the honour.
“Fortunately, we responded in time and while I never began volunteering to get any kind of recognition or awards, it was a tremendous feeling knowing that I was being considered in the King’s New Year Honours.”
Locality Manager Sean Cornock, and Nigel’s line manager, said: “Congratulations to Nigel on receiving an MBE for his exceptional, charitable work in disaster-affected regions.
“This is a richly deserved recognition of his selfless efforts to bring care, dignity and hope to communities facing unimaginable challenges.
“I have nothing but admiration for Nigel's self-sacrificing commitment and service.”
Somehow, in-between the volunteering and working, Nigel has also found the time to complete ten marathons for charity, raising over £10,000 for various causes.
When asked if he had any plans to slow down, Nigel said: “Absolutely not, I love what I do and I want to carry on helping people for as long as I’m able to.”
The third member of staff to be recognised was Dean Caldwell, who upon receiving his MBE said: "Waking up this morning and reading my name in the Kings New Years Honours list 2026 and being awarded an MBE for Voluntary & Charitable Service to the Community in South Wales is the most amazing feeling ever.
"I am truly honoured and overwhelmed to receive an MBE for my service to the community.
"I’m now coming into my 26th year of employment with the Welsh Ambulance Service, I served as a volunteer radio presenter for 7 years on Bro Radio a local radio station for The Vale of Glamorgan.
"I served as a volunteer for 18 years with the RNLI based at Barry Dock and I have been serving as a volunteer for the past four and half years with the HM Coastguard Search & Rescue Team Based at Barry Island.
"I’m in my 36th year volunteering with Welsh Amateur Boxing as an official and I’m also currently one of the volunteer Welfare & Safeguarding officers.
"For many years I’ve voluntarily hosted several events helping raise funds for lots of various charities and I’m still actively doing this.
"This recognition means more than I can say and each role has allowed me to contribute to the wellbeing and safety of others.
"My deepest thanks to the amazing community I’m proud to serve, to everyone I’ve worked alongside, and to Lyndsay Ellis & Barrie V Evans for their support and to our local MP Kanishka Narayan for The Vale of Glamorgan for the recommendation & nomination that made this award possible.
"I accept this MBE with immense pride, not just for myself, but on behalf of the many dedicated people who share the same commitment to public service.
“Thank you for this remarkable recognition. I am humbled and grateful.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “This year’s Honours list celebrates the very best of Britain – people who put the common good ahead of themselves to strengthen communities and change lives.
“Their quiet dedication speaks to the decent, compassionate country we are proud to be.
“On behalf of the whole nation, thank you – and congratulations to everyone recognised today.”