Melton's lifesaving volunteers presented with Royal honour

Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Mike Kapur OBE, made the presentation at Melton’s Hamilton Tennis Club this afternoon (Friday), hailing the group’s ‘selfless dedication to saving lives’ and describing them as ‘one of the county’s best examples of voluntary service’.

A trophy and certificate were accepted by Ina Scott, one of the four original members from when it was formed 21 years ago this month.

Members come from many different backgrounds and they are trained by East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) to respond to local emergencies, often before an ambulance can get there.

Many of the group join with no previous medical training but they are prepared to give potentially life-saving support through CPR or using equipment such as defibrillators before paradmedics can arrive on the scene.

After receiving the prestigious award, Ina told the Melton Times: “This is a real achievement for us.

"All the team work so hard and give their own valuable time to help others.

“We try to give a service 24 hours a day and we go wherever EMAS send us, which could be as far afield as Syston, Waltham and Upper Broughton, as well as the town.

“When we get there people are often so relieved to see us because they know how hard it is for the ambulance service.”

It was very different when Ina helped form the group in the early 2000s: “There were only six of us to start with and we only did basic first aid on call-outs. Now we have equipment and we are trained to do much more.”

The team helps 100 patients, every month, and around 1,500 every year.

One of the younger most recent recruits is Jonny McGrady, who admits to feeling daunted when he first joined because he had no previous medical training but he now enjoys being able to help others in emergencies.

Former engineer, Patrick Belcher, has been a first responder now for 15 years, said: “There is a real sense of personal achievement that you’ve have gone out and done something to help someone in need.

"99 per cent of the it’s a case of giving TLC, tender loving care, to people before an ambulance can get there.”

David Simmonds is one of the founder members and he already knew first aid through training he had received with his job at the time with British Gas.

He said: “When we started up we only responded to emergencies with adults but now we go to help babies and children as well.

"It does help if people know how to use defibrillators because that can give someone a fighting chance before we get there or the ambulance arrives.

"We help to take the stress out of an incident – last week I went out to a 17-year-old lad who had dislocated his knee and I was able to give him oxygen before the ambulance came to deal with his knee.”

Mr Kapur was joined at the presentation by two of his Deputy Lieutenants, Col David Young Ms Penny Coates.

Local community radio station, 103 The Eye, were the county’s first recipient of the award last year.