Welsh Ambulance Service celebrates long-serving colleagues in west Wales

THE Welsh Ambulance Service celebrated long-serving colleagues at an awards ceremony in west Wales yesterday.

Colleagues with 20, 30 and 40 years of service were presented with medals at Aberystwyth University in the fourth of six events across Wales this year 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 Deputy Lieutenant of Dyfed, Professor Dame Elan Closs Stephens DBE.

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 pandemic.

Chair Martin Woodford said: “This was the fourth of six events across Wales to celebrate colleagues who’ve reached long service milestones in the last couple of years.

“Unfortunately, the pandemic scuppered our usual celebrations so it makes these long-awaited, in-person events even more special.

“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.

“The Long Service Awards are a brilliant opportunity to reflect on their contributions, and we’d like to extend a warm congratulations to all of our recipients.”

Chief Executive Jason Killens added: “Working for the ambulance service is not just any job – it’s a job that makes a real difference.

“These events are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the very lifeblood of the Welsh Ambulance Service – its people – and in particular, their length of service.

“It also gives us a perfect chance to simply say ‘thank you’ – two words that mean so much.

“It’s amazing to think that all the Long Service Awards we presented yesterday amount to more than 400 years of service.

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