Colleagues from across Northamptonshire have been recognised for a combined 310 years of service to East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) and the wider NHS.
The Long Service Awards celebrated colleagues who had reached 10, 20, 30, and 40 years of service.
The ceremony was led by Mick Jones, Divisional Director for Northamptonshire.
Guests included James Saunders Watson, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Northamptonshire, and Roger Butler, High Sheriff of Northamptonshire.
Recognising years of care and commitment
Welcoming recipients and their families, Mick said:
“Our colleagues have supported patients through some of the most difficult moments in their lives. They have worked long shifts, responded to emergencies and supported one another. They have also adapted to the many changes our service has seen over the years.
“Those receiving awards represent an incredible 310 years of frontline service.
“Every one of them has helped shape our organisation. Most importantly, they have made a difference to patients, families, and communities across Northamptonshire.”
Mick also thanked the families, partners and loved ones who have supported colleagues throughout their careers.
“Behind every successful ambulance professional is a support network that shares in the challenges, sacrifices, and achievements.
“Your support has played an important part in the careers we are celebrating today.”
Lord-Lieutenant James Saunders Watson attended the ceremony as His Majesty The King’s personal representative in Northamptonshire. He said:
“The service you provide day in, day out, is invaluable.
“The professionalism you display in carrying out your duties is recognised by us as citizens and members of the community in Northamptonshire.
“You might think of it as just your job, but it is more than that. It is a vocation, and we are really grateful.
“I’m pleased to see so many families and partners here. Shift work is hugely demanding. The support your families give you is really valuable.
“Thank you very much for everything you have done.”
Award recipients
While not all recipients could attend the event in person, those recognised as part of the event included:
10 years
- Michael Moorhouse
- Megan Richards
- Daniel Beech
- Nicola Frost
- Hayley Seamark
- Samantha Laight
- Nicola Greene
20 years
- Paula Buchan, now retired
- Ian French
- Wendy Honour
- Joanna Howell
- Sally Kerlin
- Siobain Mackenzie
- Helen Wootton
30 years
- Andrea Gregory
40 years
- Andrew Britton
- Aidan Ward
Staff stories
We spoke to four colleagues whose careers have helped shape patient care, support other colleagues, and strengthen the ambulance service.
Aidan Ward: helping to develop future clinicians
Aidan Ward was recognised for 40 years of service.
Alongside a career caring for patients, Aidan has helped train future paramedics since 1995, both within the ambulance service education centres and in universities. He continues to combine teaching with occasional frontline shifts, giving him a unique perspective on both patient care and education.
Reflecting on his career, Aidan said:
“I don’t think there is a big impact or a small impact. There are different impacts in different ways.
“I hope I’ve made a positive impact on future clinicians through teaching. I also hope I make a difference to patients when I’m out providing care on the frontline.
“Whether someone is very seriously unwell or dealing with something less serious but still complex, having an ambulance arrive can still be a big thing for that person and their family.
“Sometimes you make a difference through small things. Be kind to people, care for them, and look after them.”
One moment particularly stands out. After crews successfully resuscitated a patient, whose heart had stopped, a colleagues pointed out that every member of the team at the scene had, in some way, been taught by Aidan:
“That just struck home. It made me realise that the very small things we do, whether that’s teaching future clinicians or caring for patients, can make a big impact.”
Helen Wootton: taking on the next challenge
Helen Wootton received her 20 years’ recognition after a career that has taken her from trainee technician to duty commander.
Looking back, Helen said each stage of her career gave her the confidence to take on the next challenge:
“When I joined as a technician in 2004, becoming a paramedic felt like a huge step.
“But once I’d settled into the role and gained more experience, I felt more comfortable and able to do more.
“I became a paramedic in 2006 and spent a lot of time responding to incidents in a solo response car. You start assessing situations, guiding crews when they arrive and thinking: ‘Actually, I can do this.’
“That gave me the confidence to challenge myself again and move into management roles.”
One role that particularly stood out was becoming an emergency driving instructor. Before joining the ambulance service, Helen had worked as both a police officer and driving instructor. She later brought those skills together to help train ambulance colleagues:
“Training people to drive correctly under emergency conditions was really important to me.
“You need to balance getting to a patient quickly with keeping people safe.
“I thoroughly enjoyed that role and took great pride in teaching it properly.”
Today, Helen oversees ambulance operations across Northamptonshire. She said one of the most rewarding parts of the role is knowing she has done everything she can to support the colleagues around her:
“I’ve always been someone who likes to get things sorted.
“I want to know that I’ve done everything I can to support the team and leave things in the best possible position for the colleagues taking over from me.”
Andrew Britton: a lifetime serving his community
Andrew Britton was recognised for 40 years of service.
Over four decades, Andrew has cared for patients across Northamptonshire and seen huge changes in the ambulance service. Even after semi-retiring, he still works one day a week and enjoys seeing younger colleagues build careers of their own.
Looking back, Andrew says some of the most rewarding moments have come from seeing patients and their families again after some of the worst days of their lives:
“Sometimes family members will come up to me and say: ‘You came out to my dad. He’s now back home and we appreciate everything you’ve done.
“It’s those moments that stay with you.”
One patient encounter stands out in particular. After helping care for a man whose heart stopped beating on the way to hospital, Andrew was invited to visit him a few months later:
“When we first met, he was having one of the worst days of his life. A few months later, I was able to see him again at home with his family.
“Seeing how well he was doing was incredible. Those are the moments that stay with you.
“They remind you why you do the job and why helping people matters.”
One of the things Andrew enjoys most today is seeing younger colleagues develop their own careers.
Reflecting on four decades in the ambulance service, he says the advice he would give his younger self is simple:
“Enjoy your career, be prepared for the many changes and challenges that will come your way, and best of all, know that you’ll make many friends along the way.”
Paula Buchan: encouraging others to grow
Retired paramedic Paula Buchan was recognised for 20 years of service.
Paula joined EMAS at the age of 40, starting her career in Patient Transport Service before progressing through several roles and eventually qualifying as a paramedic at 48.
Along the way, she developed a passion for supporting students and helping others build confidence in their own abilities.
One of the highlights of Paula’s career was seeing the people she mentored go on to flourish:
“One colleague reminded me that I’d mentored him when he first started.
“He told me the shift we worked together was the day he fell in love with the job.
“To hear that after all those years was really special.
“Watching people grow in confidence and progress through the service was one of the most rewarding parts of my career.”
Paula also learned that caring for patients often means supporting the people around them:
“When you go into someone’s home, one person may need your clinical skills, but everyone there may need something from you.
“Families might need reassurance, an explanation, or simply someone to sit with them.
“You have to look at the bigger picture and understand what each person needs at the moment.”
One patient encounter has stayed with Paula throughout her career. After helping to resuscitate a man whose heart had stopped, she later saw him walk into the ambulance station carrying flowers:
“It was one of the most wonder experiences. We don’t often find out what happens to patients after we leave them at hospital.
“Moments like that stay with you because they remind you that you have made a difference.”
Now retired, Paula says it is the people she misses most:
“I miss the patients and I miss helping people.
“But most of all I miss my colleagues.
“They’re like a family, and that’s what I miss the most.”