On celebrating the 65th anniversary of the Samaritans Liverpool and Merseyside, it was a pleasure for the Lord-Lieutenant to also present them with their well-deserved King’s Award for Voluntary Service in the magnificent surroundings of the Royal Liver Building at the Pier Head on Liverpool Waterfront.
For this Merseyside-wide organisation, it was tremendous to have the support of the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Cllr Richard Kemp CBE and the Lady Mayoress Alderwoman Erica Kemp CBE, the Mayor of Wirral Cllr Cherry Povall and Mayoress Mrs. Sheila Clarke, the Mayor of Sefton Cllr June Burns, the Mayor of Knowsley Cllr Ken McGlashan and Mayoress Ms Anne McGlashan, and the Mayor of St. Helens Cllr Jeanette Banks and consort Cllr David Banks.
However, the stars of this particular show were of course the wonderful volunteers of the Samaritans Liverpool and Merseyside. For a local branch of any national organisation to be awarded the KAVS, they have to be doing something really exceptional, and this group clearly does, with their targeted outreach to prisons, work with the Police, Fire and Rescue and Ambulance Service, and suicide prevention work along the railways and waterfront.
Many thanks to Helen Gilbert, Branch Director and head of the Trustee Board and all of the Trustees: Jayne Kibble, Sheila Campbell, Donall Fitzgibbon, Colin Leeman, David Ellcock, Judith Blacow, Liz Bibby, Louise Seresini, Neil Muskett, Tom Murphy and recently retired trustee Tony Summers. Congratulations to the many, many more volunteers who provide support 24/7, 365 days per year, quite literally saving lives. Well done.
