SECAmb Heroes Honoured at Grand Eastbourne Bash
Staff and volunteers from the South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) were saluted with long service awards and special commendations at their third and final annual awards ceremony of the year. The glamourous event took place at The Grand Hotel in Eastbourne on Thursday, 20 October, celebrating heroes primarily from the Sussex region.
Queen’s Medals and Long Service Salutes
The Deputy Lieutenant of East Sussex, Mrs Juliet Smith, handed out prestigious Queen’s Medals for Long Service and Good Conduct. Staff hitting 20 and 30 years NHS service were also recognised for their unwavering dedication.
Among the honoured were:
- Natalie Brodrick, Critical Care Paramedic, Hastings
- Steve Close, Clinical Education Lead, Tangmere
- Jeremy Andrews, Ambulance Paramedic, Guildford (30 years NHS service)
- Mark Hodsoll, Operations Manager, Banstead (30 years NHS service)
Chief Executive Awards Shine a Light on Brilliance
SECAmb Interim Chief Executive Siobhan Melia praised the winners across categories such as Clinical Excellence, Leadership, and Voluntary Service. She said:
“I would like to congratulate every single one of our award winners. Listening to their stories from across so many years’ service it is clear that a career in the ambulance service is challenging but also extremely rewarding. I was also pleased we were able to recognise the achievements and commitment of our volunteers and partners, which make such a difference to our work.”
Special mentions included:
- PC Susannah Maynard, Sussex Police: For handling a tough incident with compassion and professionalism alongside ambulance crews.
- Team of the Year: The Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) paramedics who ingeniously freed a trapped motorcyclist at a serious RTC, using a stretcher to free him before a successful resuscitation.
- Employee of the Year: Amaraghosha Carter, SECAmb Associate Director of Information Technology, recognised for his vital role in upgrading and supporting emergency and 111 services.
Extraordinary Service on Show
Other standout awards included:
- Exceeding Expectations: Paul Willis and Andrew Frey from HART, for revamping equipment management systems.
- Leadership: Mark Hodsoll, for leading the new Banstead Make Ready Centre through challenging times including the pandemic.
- Community Service: Tim Burgess, Community First Responder, for providing SECAmb’s HART team a unique training venue at Ewhurst Brickworks.
Siobhan Melia added: “The successes we celebrate represent just a fraction of the amazing work happening every day across our region. Huge thanks to everyone associated with SECAmb for their dedication and professionalism to help our patients.”
