Volunteer receives British Empire Medal honour for Covid-19 work at Pinderfields Hospital

Richard Homes, Jean Margaret Ashton, Farrah Khan and David John Snowball have received honoured.

Mr Holmes joined Voluntary Services in February 2018 as a guide and has become an ambassador and role model for volunteering in the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals

NHS Trust.

He is the first point of contact for many visitors providing a warm, friendly welcome alongside a professional and informative ‘meet and greet’ service.

His compassion in his role is acknowledged and respected by staff who have previously nominated him for a Trust Excellence Award in 2020 aswell as a My Star monthly award scheme.

During Covid-19 he has undertaken additional duties to his usual guiding role including, training and mentoring eigh newly recruited Covid-19 Guides, taking responsibility for Patient Property Service, supporting distribution of masks, raising awareness of social distancing, directing thosesuspected of Covid-19 to safely, in one day alone covered 450 enquiries, increasing volunteering hours to meet service demand and helping to coordinate delivery of 2000 sets of donated scrubs to the sewing room.

He averaged a 48 hour volunteer week during Covid-19 to compensate his volunteer colleagues who were unable to volunteer due to government restrictions.

Farrah Khan, from Wakefield is head service delivery, children's services, Leeds City Council. and received the MBE for services to children and families.

Dr David John Snowball, from Wakefield, who is a formerly member of the management board for Health and Safety Executive was awarded the OBE for services to occupational health and safety.

Jean Margaret Ashton, from Ossett, a formerly director of business services and operations for the Crown Prosecution Service was awarded the CBE for services to law and order.