Jamie Arrowsmith – Tuesday 10th June 2025 – 11.15am
West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) paid tribute to dozens of awards winners at its annual award ceremonies on Thursday (5th June).
The Staff Long Service & Excellence Awards and Excellence in the Community Awards were held at The Copthorne Hotel in Brierley Hill, with almost 700 guests attending across the two events. Guests included the Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands, Richard Boot OBE, and the High Sheriff of the County of the West Midlands, Mr Mark Smith.
This year, 77 members of staff were recognised for having given 20 years of service to WMAS, 11 staff were commended for 25 years’ service, nine received certificates for 30 years’ service, six members of staff were honoured for 35 years in the Trust, two celebrated the landmark of 40 years of service whilst one member of staff was rewarded for an incredible 45 years. Other awards to be handed out included Chief Officer Commendations, Student Paramedic of the Year, Mentor Awards, Apprenticeship Awards, Community Initiative and Partnership Awards, CFR Long Service Awards and the CFR of the Year.
Trust Chief Executive, Anthony Marsh, said: “Our awards ceremonies are an opportunity for us all to say a big thank you for all that our staff and volunteers do every single day when treating patients, protecting the public and saving as many lives as possible.
“I am inspired by the continued professionalism everyone shows to keep doing the right thing and also by some of the incredible stories we hear at our awards ceremonies, where staff members, volunteers and members of the public have gone above and beyond to help people who are often in the worst moment of their lives, thank you to you all.”
Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands, Richard Boot OBE, said: “It was a delight to be invited to the awards as when you hear what people have done to win accolades and the work that is done every day, it really is heartening and humbling.
“There are not many organisations that match the scale of West Midlands Ambulance Service, it really is an incredible operation. However, I get the sense it is more than that as well, it feels like a family. The number of people who picked up long service awards shows how special the organisation is as people don’t hang around for that long if they don’t feel supported and valued.”
High Sheriff of the County of the West Midlands, Mr Mark Smith, said: “I am very grateful to have been invited to the awards and being present had a very special meaning for me, given in September 2020 I suffered a cardiac arrest.
“I fully believe that the two paramedics who transported me to hospital are the reason I am still here today.
“We have heard some fantastic stories and I personally thank all of the staff and volunteers for everything you do.
“In my role as High Sheriff I meet many Chief Executives who say their organisation is the best, but in this case I absolutely agree that West Midlands Ambulance Service is the best in the country.”
WMAS Chair, Prof Ian Cumming, said: “It is a privilege to be able to honour the exceptional achievement of our own staff, volunteers and members of the public who have done some truly remarkable things.
“For those who work in the blue light services, showing bravery, compassion and courage is part of the job, but those who volunteer to put yourself in similar situations, I think is truly remarkable.
“Our volunteers are often the difference between despair and hope, between fear and comfort, between life and death. I know you don’t do it for applause or reward, but because it is the right thing to do, and for that I thank you all.”
The Trust’s awards were sponsored by University of Wolverhampton, Birmingham City University and the University of Worcester.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
Images from the awards ceremony can be found and downloaded from https://www.flickr.com/photos/officialwmas/albums
Main picture:
The winners of Young Person of Outstanding Bravery Awards. From the left – High Sheriff of the County of the West Midlands, Mr Mark Smith; Dotty Staite; William Webster; Sebastian Matthews; David Mzingwane and WMAS Chief Executive, Anthony Marsh.
Please credit West Midlands Ambulance Service for any images used.
Selected Award Winners and Citations
Chief Officer’s Commendation – Philip Bramwell and Connor Chapman (Dudley)
Philip Bramwell and Connor Chapman displayed remarkable courage and quick thinking in May last year, when encountering a car engulfed in flames.
Upon realising someone had been ejected nearby the vehicle, Connor quickly began using a fire extinguisher to help push back the flames and allow Philip to safely rescue the patient.
They both remained calm and professional, despite the stressful situation, to provide outstanding initial care to the extremely unwell patient until additional resources arrived to provide further support.
Now in their modest view, they were ‘just doing their job’ but it isn’t every day that an ambulance crew is required to fight fires and drag patients away from burning cars, so for that we ask Philip Bramwell and Connor Chapman to come forward to receive a well-deserved commendation.
Working in Partnership Award – Midland Metropolitan University Hospital Transfer Team (James Williams, Azad Ali, Claire Atkinson, Charlotte Bennett, Owen Lewis, Cameron McVittie, Jon Holden – Birmingham and Black Country)
After many months of hard work and planning, the new Midland Metropolitan University Hospital opened in October 2024, which at the same time saw the closure of the Emergency Departments at City and Sandwell Hospitals.
As a result, that meant approximately 360 patients had to be moved to the new site, a task which fell upon West Midlands Ambulance Service to complete.
The transfers took place across three days with emergency and patient transport service staff and vehicles being used.
Such was the meticulous planning that took place between WMAS and Sandwell and West Birmingham Trust, the patient moves were completed quickly and successfully.
From the project team who put all of the plans in place in the months leading up to the moves, to the dozens of staff who offered to work extra shifts to carry out the transfers, everybody worked incredibly hard and professionally to ensure every patient move was completed safely in what truly was, a job well done.
There were more than 100 people involved in the project, and whilst they have all received their certificates, sadly we haven’t got room for them all this afternoon.
However please include everybody involved in your applause as we ask the following to step forward to receive their Working in Partnership Award.
Outstanding Direct Entry Student Paramedic of the Year – Bridie Benson (Staffordshire)
Described as a natural leader, a role model and an exemplary university student, our Outstanding Direct Entry Student Paramedic of the Year is someone who as a mature learner, has demonstrated remarkable resilience and commitment, successfully balancing her university studies, work and clinical placements without complaint.
As well as focussing on her own development, our winner also acts as a mentor for her peers, providing guidance and support to positively impact the learning of others.
And on the point of putting others first, she also volunteers as a Community First Responder, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to public service.
Whenever possible she will participate in Continuing Professional Development events to further her own learning and is also prepared to raise concerns around patient safety incidents if required, something which demonstrates the attributes of an autonomous and patient-centred clinician.
Full of compassion, and the willingness to do the very best she can for her patients and colleagues, our Outstanding Direct Entry Student Paramedic of the Year is Bridie Benson.
Community Initiative and Partnership Award: Evesham Defibrillators (Kerry Wood, Rachel Roberts, Kerry Yeates, Donna Atkins – Evesham).
Not content with saving lives in her day job as a paramedic, Kerry Wood set out on a mission to install a single defibrillator in her hometown of Evesham.
Having initially taken to Facebook to raise funds for the defib whilst undertaking her Paramedic Science degree, this led to the local council donating one to her and it was installed on the front of her house.
Kerry quickly became known as ‘the woman with a defibrillator on her house’ in the local community and this inspired her to raise funds for a second lifesaving device.
From there, things escalated quickly. Kerry teamed up with Karen Stephens, Donna Atkin, Kerry Yates, Rachel Roberts and Lynda Williams, and Evesham Defibrillators was born.
As we stand here tonight, I can confirm they successfully secured that second defib and another 30 since, taking the total number installed to 32 – all of which are available 24 hours a day.
In what has been a proud couple of weeks for the group, not only have they been confirmed as a registered charity, but one of those 32 defibs successfully restarted a man’s heart recently, and he is now recovering well at home.
Quite incredible I’m sure you’ll agree.
Sadly, Karen and Linda can’t be with us tonight, so please include them in your applause as we ask Kerry Wood, Rachel Roberts, Kerry Yeates and Donna Atkins to come forward.
Community Initiative and Partnership Award: Julian Johnson (Shipston)
Not content with being a Community First Responder, Julian Johnson has been instrumental in managing 60 defibrillators across Shipston and surrounding areas, including the installation of some new ones. He has also helped to equip local communities with bleed kits.
Julian has taken personal responsibility for the guardianship, maintenance and regular checking of defibrillators, creating a custom database to ensure thorough monthly checks. He collaborates closely with The Circuit, the national defibrillator database, to bring older units up to rescue-ready status and responds swiftly when a PAD is used, aiming to restore functionality within 24 hours.
Julian also offers CPR and defibrillator training locally and continues to identify new installation sites, with his goal set of reaching 80 defibrillators in his local area. A truly dedicated individual, please put your hands together for Julian Johnson.
Chief Officer Commendation – Roisin Cullen (Herefordshire)
We all often hear how important it is to go on a first aid course, but how many of us ever think it will really matter?
Well thankfully Roisin Cullen took the advice on board, and she had to put her skills to use in an unlikely situation. Whilst working as a waitress at a pub, a customer began choking whilst eating their meal and subsequently went into cardiac arrest.
Given the rural location, the ambulance was more than 30 minutes away, meaning Roisin had to remain calm, remember her choking algorithm and begin CPR.
Roisin did an incredible job and managed to restart the patient’s heart prior to the arrival of the ambulance and the air ambulance.
Undoubtedly, without her actions the outcome for the patient would have been a lot more serious that night, especially given the rural location of the call.
Please give her a huge hand as she comes forward, Roisin Cullen.
Chief Officer Commendation: James Prior, Miranda Hobley, Matthew Reuben (Warwick)
Whilst enroute to a 999 call in January last year, James Prior, Miranda Hobley and Matthew Reuben were contacted by the control room to stand them down from that case, as they were about to come across a woman threatening to jump off a bridge.
Upon finding the woman on the wrong side of the bridge, the crew immediately engaged in conversation with her.
However, without prior warning, the woman threw her arms up as if to jump, but luckily the crew were close enough to somehow grab hold of her arm in that split second, and by all working together, were able to haul her to safety.
Understandably, the crew were shaken by what they had witnessed, but without a doubt saved the women’s life that day.
For showing outstanding reactions, bravery and quick-thinking, please put your hands together for James Prior, Miranda Hobley and Matthew Reuben.
Community Initiative and Partnership Award – PEPW Manor House/Henry Angell-James Memorial Trust (Shropshire Charity)
The Henry Angell-James Memorial Trust is a charity that aims to install defibrillators into communities across the West Midlands that otherwise could not afford them. The charity is reliant on fund-raising to allow it to do its work, and thanks to a group of 55 Eton College school boys, has received a significant cash boost this year.
The boys, aged 13-18, have raised a staggering amount of over £9000 through a combination of busking, a bake sale and walking the Ridgeway National Trail over a 24-hour-period in March. Understanding the importance of the need for defibrillators in the community, the students decided they wanted to support a small charity that was set up in the name of a father of one of the boys.
For their incredible community effort, which is in line with everything the Henry Angell-James Memorial Trust stands for, please put your hands together for the boys from PEPW Manor House at Eton College as they come to collect their award.