Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

at 26/03/2010 16:46

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service hosted its annual award ceremony at the Maritime Museum in Falmouth last night (25 March) as the Service recognised and applauded the positive achievements of firefighters, fire and rescue service personnel and members of the community who have made a huge contribution to the work of CFRS.
Chief Fire Officer Des Tidbury presented the Chief Fire Officer's Commendation to Firefighter Andy Sleeman and Paramedic Mike Smith for the rescue of an individual from a mineshaft in Callington.

The Chief Fire Officer's Letter of Appreciation was presented to Norman Osborne, Andrew Skinner, Horace Skinner, Group Manager Mark Blatchford, Station Manager Richard Gibbons and Bude, Delabole, St Austell, Falmouth, Bodmin, Truro and Camborne Community Fire Stations, for their work in an eight hour rescue operation in which over 40 cows were saved from a slurry pit last year.

A Certificate of Achievement was presented to Neighbourhood Manager for Parc an Tansys, Pengegon, Gwelmore and Grenville Gardens, Claire Arymar, in recognition of her dedicated and longstanding work in helping the fire service deliver its youth development programmes.

Certificates of Achievement were also presented to Karen Harvey from Helston Community School for the links with the Phoenix Project, Sarah van Horn for Penwith Referral unit and Debbie Sims from Treneere Together Partnership Office in Penzance in recognition of their dedicated and longstanding work in helping the fire service deliver its youth development programmes.

The Chief Fire Officer's Cup for Community Safety, which is awarded by nominations from peers, was presented to Watch Manager Tim Cocks for his outstanding work in developing and delivering CFRS's Supporting Community Values which helps bring local communities together to reduce crime and improve life skills, and Phoenix Project which provides a unique opportunity for young people to work with the CFRS.
The evening included the presentation of Long Service and Good Conduct Medals by Lady Mary Holborow, Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall and the presentation of Cornwall Council 25 Year Medals for long and loyal service by Cornwall Council cabinet member for stronger communities, Lance Kennedy.

The Fire Service Long Service and Good Conduct Medal is awarded by Her Majesty the Queen, to honour those who have rendered long and meritorious service, as members of Fire Services in the United Kingdom. The qualifying period for the award of the medal is a minimum of 20 years wholetime or retained service, during which time their character and conduct must have been good.

Lady Mary Holborow, Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall, presented Fire Service Long Service and Good Conduct Medals to:

Crew Manager Dave Allen
Group Manager Andy Barrett
Group Manager Mark Blatchford
Firefighter Alan Constance
Crew Manager Tim Lean
Station Manager Dave Rawlings
Station Manager Kevin Rookley
Watch Manager Adrian Stone
Firefighter Mick Vidler
Watch Manager Steve Veale
Group Manager Nigel Vincent
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Paul Walker
Firefighter David Williams

Cornwall Council 25 year medals for long and loyal service were presented by Cornwall Council cabinet member for stronger communities Lance Kennedy to:

Firefighter Paul Backhouse
Firefighter Rob Fouracres
Watch Manager Mike Higginson
Assistant Chief Fire Officer Ted Simpson
Watch Manager Brian Webber

Lance Kennedy, Cornwall Council cabinet member for stronger communities said: 'The fire service in Cornwall is one we should be very proud of. This award ceremony each year reminds us of the hard work and dedication of these excellent firefighters, and of members of the wider community, in keeping Cornwall safe. I am honoured to be able to present these well deserved awards and hope that those that have won will be extremely and rightly proud of themselves.'
Chief Fire Officer Des Tidbury added: 'This kind of event reminds us of the positive work going on all around us by dedicated and hard working members of the Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service. It also highlights the work of our partners and our communites and I would like to express my thanks to all of those who help the service engage with the people of Cornwall, not just those that have been awarded tonight, for their hard work, energy and enthusiasm.'

The following were unable to attend on the night to receive their Fire Service Long Service and Good Conduct medals:

Firefighter Stephen Burrows
Firefighter Andrew Cannon
Watch Manager Marcus Care
Mr Shane Cavill
Firefighter Phil Day
Firefighter Gary Eastel
Crew Manager Andrew Harrison
Watch Manager Dave Pilling
Watch Manager Steve Stroud

The following were unable to attend on the night to receive their Cornwall Council 25 year medals for long and loyal service:

Firefighter Richard Wilson
Watch Manager Garfield Rickard
Firefighter Mervyn Mullenger
Mr Terry Theobald
Area Manager Derek Walker
Firefighter Malcolm Warren