North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) celebrated the dedication and 
The awards ceremony took place on Wednesday 3 June at Newcastle Rugby Club, Kingston Park, bringing around 50 volunteers from across the North East together to celebrate achievements, long service and the difference they make across the region.
Those recognised marked service milestones ranging from two years to an exceptional 25 years, reflecting long-standing commitment across a wide range of volunteering roles, including Community First Responders, Ambulance Car Service Volunteers, Volunteer Porters and Community Ambassadors.
Alongside long service recognition, the awards also introduced new staff nominated volunteer awards, with colleagues from across the region highlighting individuals who have made an exceptional difference in their local communities.
The categories included:
- NEAS Staff Award
- Community First Responder Volunteer of the Year
- Ambulance Car Service Volunteer of the Year
- Volunteer of the Year, Volunteer Porter of the Year
- Community Ambassador Volunteer of the Year
- Chaplain Volunteer of the Year
- North East Immediate Care Volunteer of the Year
Over 400 volunteers give their time across a wide range of vital roles - together, they play a crucial part in delivering care, easing pressure on frontline services and providing reassurance to patients at difficult moments.
Joe Crook, National Volunteer Lead at the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives said: “This will be my third year at the NEAS annual volunteering awards, and it has become one of the highlights of my working year. I am always
“In addition, the volunteer portering scheme has been a genuinely innovative role that provides support to an area not regularly serviced by ambulance volunteering teams; conveying patients from NEAS vehicles to their point of clinical care and then returning them to the vehicles. Finally, the NEAS volunteer car drivers who drove a staggering 2.3 million miles over the last 12 months, supporting 69,000 patient journeys. I am happy to be spending part of National Volunteers’ Week with such inspirational volunteers.”
In the last year, NEAS has continued to grow and strengthen its volunteer programme, with investment from charitable funds helping to expand opportunities across all volunteering roles. Since April 2025, the service has recruited and trained approximately 80 new volunteers, including 36 Community First Responders, 13 Ambulance Car Service drivers, five volunteer porters and two chaplains, ensuring support remains available across the region.
Volunteers support NEAS in a range of vital roles, including:
- Community First Responders (CFRs): Trained volunteers who often arrive before an ambulance to provide urgent care and reassurance. From April 2025 to February 2026, CFRs gave 23,993 hours and attended 1,649 patients, many involving life‑threatening emergencies with additional support from Newcastle University medical students.
- Additional responder support includes Hatzola (a volunteer emergency medical response service since 2003) who support patients within the Jewish community.
- Ambulance Car Service (ACS) volunteers: Who completed 61,433 patient journeys and travelled more than 2.25 million miles to help patients attend non-urgent appointments.
- Volunteer porters: are front of house supporting crews, taking patients to appointment destinations and collect for outward journeys.
- Chaplains: Providing vital practical and pastoral support for NEAS volunteers and colleagues.
Volunteer Development Manager at NEAS, Beverley Smith said: “I’m so proud of all our
“Over the last year alone, we received 122 letters and messages of appreciation, highlighting the professionalism, compassion and commitment shown by volunteers across the service.
“The Volunteer Awards give us the opportunity each year to recognise their achievements and celebrate the incredible impact they make across the region.”
Within the last year, funding from NHS Charities Together and Voluntary Organisations Network North East (VONNE) has helped strengthen the volunteer programme, improve engagement and recognition, and support community initiatives such as increasing access to public defibrillators.
Find out how you can volunteer with NEAS at https://
Stephen Dunn has dedicated 15 years of service as a Community First Responder, motivated by a strong sense of civic duty and a genuine desire to help others. Throughout his time with NEAS, he has been proud to support people in their moment of need alongside a committed team of volunteers.
One moment that has stayed with Stephen came weeks after attending an incident, when a patient’s husband stopped to thank him — a powerful reminder of the lasting impact responders can have, even in the most difficult circumstances.
Over the past 15 years, Stephen has made a positive difference to countless lives. Supported by his family, colleagues and fellow responders, his message to others is simple: “If you’re thinking of becoming a responder, just do it — you won’t regret it.”
Bruno is marking an incredible 25 years of service as a Community First Responder, having first been inspired to volunteer after witnessing the vulnerability of rural communities during a real-life emergency.
Since then, his commitment has remained unwavering. Often first on scene, Bruno has provided vital care, reassurance and support at critical moments, working closely with ambulance crews and air ambulance teams to deliver life-saving interventions.
For Bruno, volunteering has never been about recognition but about giving something back and improving the lives of others — a dedication that has made a lasting difference to patients, families and colleagues across the region.
Terry Eccles is celebrating 15 years of dedicated service as an Ambulance Car Service volunteer, helping ensure patients can attend essential appointments and return home safely.
Motivated by a desire to stay active and make a difference, Terry has turned his time and experience into something positive and meaningful. Known for reliability, compassion and a strong sense of responsibility, he consistently goes above and beyond to support patients.
Whether transporting individuals on routine journeys or stepping in to help when needed, Terry’s contribution reflects the vital role volunteers play in supporting communities and strengthening the health service.
Paul Cornish is celebrating 10 years of service as a volunteer porter, supporting patient care and hospital flow across the region.
For Paul, volunteering has been about meeting people, working alongside a team he enjoys, and making a meaningful difference to patients. One moment that stands out was when his contribution was recognised by a patient’s family — reinforcing the impact of the role.
Paul’s continued commitment and positive approach reflect the vital role volunteer porters play in helping ambulance crews return to the road quickly and continue supporting those in need.
Paul Bond is marking 10 years of dedicated service as a volunteer porter, supporting patients and helping hospital teams operate more efficiently.
Volunteering has provided Paul with a strong sense of purpose, pride and connection. He values the opportunity to meet new people and be part of a supportive team, while making a difference to those who need help at a challenging time.
His enthusiasm, commitment and willingness to support others make him a valued member of the volunteer porter team.
Peter Devlin is celebrating 10 years of service as a volunteer porter, demonstrating long-standing dedication to supporting patients and colleagues across the region.
Reaching this milestone is a testament to Peter’s commitment and the contribution he has made over the years. Through his role, he has helped ensure patients are cared for efficiently within hospitals, allowing ambulance crews to return quickly to emergency response duties.
Peter’s reliability and continued dedication highlight the important role volunteers play in keeping services running smoothly.
Since completing her training in April last year, Community First Responder Lauren Kelly has made an exceptional impact in a short space of time.
Within her first two months, Lauren attended four cardiac arrests, earning recognition from ambulance crews for her professionalism and calm approach. At one incident, she successfully achieved a return of spontaneous circulation before the arrival of the ambulance crew — a remarkable milestone early in her volunteering journey.
Alongside her responder role, Lauren also works in NEAS dispatch, where she has helped improve understanding of the Community First Responder role and how volunteers are deployed, ensuring patients receive care as quickly as possible.
Nigel Eliot has shown long-standing commitment and dedication as an Ambulance Car Service volunteer, consistently going the extra mile — quite literally — to support patients.
Despite facing his own health challenges and caring responsibilities at home, Nigel continues to give his time selflessly. His resilience, compassion and willingness to support others both within and beyond his role highlight the invaluable contribution volunteers make every day.
Although relatively new to volunteering, Ian Thomson has already made a significant impact as a volunteer porter.
He has quickly become a valued member of the team, supporting new volunteers, sharing knowledge and helping others settle into their roles. Ian also plays an active role in keeping colleagues connected and informed, consistently going above and beyond to support the wider team.
His positive attitude, dedication and willingness to help others have set a strong example.
Fiona Usher has been a volunteer chaplain with NEAS for five years and is a passionate advocate for developing and strengthening chaplaincy support across the Trust.
She has worked to build connections with faith leaders and broaden support available to both patients and staff. Over the past year, Fiona has gone above and beyond, visiting ambulance stations, offering confidential support to staff and spending time with crews in hospitals.
Alongside her day job, Fiona’s compassion, dedication and commitment make her a vital source of support for colleagues across NEAS.
Sunday Adigun is a dedicated and inspiring community ambassador who consistently demonstrates professionalism, compassion and a strong commitment to supporting others.
He plays an active role in encouraging and supporting new volunteers, helping them understand their role within the community and feel valued as part of the team. Sunday also contributes to workshops, confidently delivering information and representing NEAS with pride.
Steven Miles has made a significant impact as a North East Immediate Care volunteer, as well as reaching his five-year service milestone.
He regularly attends critical incidents alongside ambulance crews, bringing a calm, knowledgeable and supportive presence. Steven is known for sharing his expertise, answering questions and ensuring colleagues feel confident and supported in challenging situations.
His professionalism, kindness and commitment make him a highly valued member of the team.
Alan Clayton has made an outstanding contribution over the past year, combining his role as a Community First Responder with supporting community public access defibrillator (cPAD) awareness sessions.
His skill and composure were demonstrated during a particularly challenging cardiac arrest, where his swift actions — repositioning the patient, applying a defibrillator and commencing CPR — led to a return of spontaneous circulation before the arrival of the ambulance crew.
Despite the life-saving impact of his work, Alan remains humble and dedicated, driven by a commitment to helping others and strengthening community response.
