Jason Leonard honours workers at hospital awards

Apr 1 2010 By Emma Heseltine, Surrey Herald

jason leonard & andrew davis

AN ENGLAND rugby star paid tribute to staff from Ashford and St Peter's hospitals after they picked up achievement awards last Tuesday night.

Guest of honour at the ceremony, held at the Runnymede hotel in Egham, was England Rugby World Cup winner Jason Leonard OBE.

He said afterwards: "I think it is a fantastic night and these people have been nominated by their peers, which is something to be really proud of.

"I genuinely believe this is a room full of champions, people who have achieved great things and continue to do so, day in, day out.

"It really is a pleasure to have been asked to be here - I know the hospitals quite well as I have lived in the Richmond area for about 20 years and I daresay I might have sent a couple of opponents to the A&E.

"These people do a fantastic job, and will continue to do so in the years to come, so it's only right that this should be recognised."

The ceremony began with long service awards for several members of staff who had been at the hospitals for more than 25 years.

Eve Weir won Volunteer of the Year for her work at Ashford Day Surgery Unit. The Patients First award was won by phlebotomy team leader Tina Currier, and Den Hallett and Anne Swinburn shared the award for Personal Responsibility.

The Team of the Year was won by the maternity team, who recently won an award from the Twins and Multiple Births Association for the second year running - the only team in the country to do so.

The final award for the evening was Employee of the Year, which was won by Andrew Davis, an IT consultant at the trust.