Volunteer couple clock up 120 years service

A dedicated couple's hard work and committment was recognised recently at an awards ceremony in Buckinghamshire.

Long serving member George Lathwell was awarded a bar to add to his medal for 60 years of service, a year after his wife Joyce received the same accolade.

George and his wife Joyce, both 73, have collectively clocked up a total of 120 years of service as volunteers.

The couple initially met through their infant school, but credit St John Ambulance Cadets for bringing them together. They married in 1956, have two daughters, two sons and 11 grandchildren.

Their passion for St John Ambulance has been passed down to their offspring and now one daughter is a Badger Leader, while their young grandson is a member of St John Ambulance Badgers.

George, from Leighton Buzzard on the edge of Buckinghamshire, said: 'I am absolutely delighted to have been acknowledged at the ceremony.

'I joined St John Ambulance Buckinghamshire as a cadet in 1947 and since then have thoroughly enjoyed my many years of service. I also have St John Ambulance to thank for introducing me to my lovely wife Joyce.'

The event also saw a number of members awarded with long service medals – a milestone reached after 12 years with the charity. They are then presented with one bar for every five subsequent years of duty.

Commenting on the event, John Williams, County Commander for St John Ambulance Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes, said: 'We are very proud of our dedicated volunteers who work extremely hard for the charity.

'They thoroughly deserve to receive recognition for their efforts and we would like to thank them sincerely for their continued dedication and support.'