H.R.H Princess Anne visits Hebburn to award Queens Medal to North East Ambulance Staff

Helen Ray, Chief Executive, North East Ambulance Service

Princess Anne was in Hebburn today to present The Queen’s Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct to 14 North East Ambulance staff.Her Royal Highness also watched a live demonstration of the Hazardous Area Response Team’s response to a terrorist incident, before meeting some of the ambulance staff based at Hebburn and witnessing first-hand the contribution made by some of the region’s 999 and 111 health advisors in keeping the region safe.

The visit had originally been planned last year to mark the 10th anniversary of its Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) and the region’s NHS 111 service but was, understandably, put on hold due to the pandemic.The Ambulance Service (Emergency Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal is designed for emergency ambulance staff who have worked on the frontline for more than 20 years.

The medals are issued under Royal Warrant and are therefore usually presented to NEAS staff by Her Majesty’s representative, Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear, Mrs Susan Winfield, OBE. 

This is the first time that a member of The Royal Family has presented the medals to NEAS staff directly.

NEAS Chief Executive Helen Ray said: “We were incredibly honoured to welcome Her Royal Highness to our service to mark the outstanding contribution our teams have made to the North East."

“Our staff are quite rightly very proud to wear the crown badge on their uniform and we are honoured that Her Royal Highness agreed as part of her visit to bestow the medals this year.”