Glittering awards ceremony recognises local heroes  

A sparkling occasion at the Great Hall in Winchester saw St John Ambulance volunteers receive awards for their services to the Charity. Among the recipients was Tim Goddard who was praised for his life-saving skills when helping an accident victim with potentially fatal injuries.

The ceremony was held by St John Ambulance to give recognition to over 80 of its members for their dedicated work to ensure that no one dies from a lack of first aid. The event, which also saw six new Presidents and ten new Officers appointed, was presided over by the Mayor of Winchester and the Chief Constable of Hampshire. The awards were presented by the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, Dame Mary Fagan, who is also President of the Council of the Order of St John, Hampshire.

Accolades were given to twenty volunteers in recognition for their long service to the Charity, one of whom was Geoff Streeter who has served St John Ambulance for 47 years. Also receiving special mention were Shona Wilkins, Pat Bethel and Dan Bevis, who have each worked over 2000 hours during 2010, which is equivalent to a full time job.

Fareham Quad Division was lauded for marking 75 years since its inception, while the Southampton (Bitterne) Quad received their 100 year jubilee certificate. The division originally began in 1911 as the Woolston Nursing Division.

Dr Andrew Powell, County Medical Officer, presented The Dr Reddy Memorial Cup to volunteer Tim Goddard who found himself at the scene of an accident helping a 15 year old boy. The boy had been hit by a lorry and was suffering life-threatening injuries.

After rapidly assessing the patient, Tim identified a potential skull fracture from the bruising on the boy’s face. There was massive potential for multiple injuries and when the boy stopped breathing, he administered a successful jaw thrust, helping him to breathe again.

In presenting the award, which is given annually to a member or group that has performed outstanding first aid skills, County Ambulance Officer Dan Bevis attributed the survival of the boy to Tim’s swift and decisive actions, saying ‘This patient was critically injured and it is quite probable that your simple, yet effective intervention saved this young man’s life. You should be very proud of your achievement.’

A special award was also given to Mrs Joan Ferrer whose efforts in organising the annual Garden Fair in Bishops Waltham has raised a staggering £65,000 for St John Ambulance and has helped to provide training and equipment for volunteers across the county ensuring thousands of people receive crucial first aid when they need it.