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Remembering Martin Spruce

This Volunteers Week, we are remembering a much-beloved colleague and member of our volunteering team, Martin Spruce, who passed away in October 2022.

Martin volunteered with us for 13 years as a community first responder; providing our patients with lifesaving care until one of our crews arrived on scene.

In his 13 years of service, Martin not only attended poorly patients but also helped install a number of defibrillators across Bamburgh and Seahouses; saving countless lives in his local community. He also volunteered his free time to train people across the area in lifesaving skills such as CPR.

For his incredible dedication to our organisation and his community, he was named our ‘Volunteer of the Year’ in 2016. When we spoke to him for Volunteers Week in 2016, this is what he said about his experience of volunteering with NEAS:

“I love doing it. I care about people and the appreciation you get is tremendous. When I walk in they are frantic but when they see me it’s the relief of having someone there. It’s down to us to do what we can until the ambulance arrives.

“You comfort people and do your best. It’s not always easy, especially when you’re doing CPR on someone you know, but then the family come back to you and tell you what it means to them.

“I did CPR on one lady for an hour and shocked her four times and she was talking to her daughter that night. When you’re able to do that, it’s really special."