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Hertfordshire based charity Hearts for Herts has been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service in recognition of its work to provide access to lifesaving defibrillators and bleed kits in public spaces throughout the county.
Equivalent to an MBE, the Award honours groups that are transforming lives through mental health support, youth services, environmental projects and community initiatives.
The Hearts for Herts Charity, led by East of England Ambulance Service paramedic lecturer, Justin Honey-Jones, fundraises to provide and maintain public access defibrillators and bleed control kits with 24/7 availability throughout Hertfordshire in both rural and urban areas.
The charity’s defibrillator network has been activated 127 times this year by the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust in 999 calls.
The group of volunteers, one of 231 organisations to be recognised in this year’s King’s Awards, teaches the public for free how to save a life through its Heartstart Lifesaver course. The charity is rolling out 130 defibrillators and 350 bleed control kits and has trained over 1300 people from the ages of 11 to 97 lifesaving skills across the county.
“We are truly honoured and delighted that Hearts for Herts Charity has been recognised with The King’s Award for Voluntary Service. Every second counts in a cardiac arrest.
This award is a testament to the dedication, compassion, and tireless commitment of our incredible small team of trustees and volunteers, who give their time and energy to make Hertfordshire a safer place for everyone.”
Justin Honey-Jones, Founder, Hearts for Herts.
Elsewhere in the emergency services, the Museum of Policing in Cheshire also received a King’s Award for Voluntary Service. Based in a former police station in Warrington, the museum is run entirely by volunteers and shares the history of policing in the county and is used as part of Cheshire Constabulary’s community engagement programme. Chief Constable Mark Roberts called it a “tremendous and well-earned honour” for the group of volunteers who run the museum which has been in place since 2006.
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