Ambulance service pays tribute to the Queen on its vehicles

A selection of eight emergency and patient transport ambulances have been marked up with Platinum Jubilee vinyl stickers in preparation for the Jubilee weekend celebrations in June.

With an average emergency ambulance covering between 55,000 and 75,000 miles a year, the vehicles are likely to find themselves across the region over the next few months – and NEAS is encouraging people who spot them to share their pictures by messaging the service’s Facebook page.

NEAS Chief Operating Officer, Stephen Segasby, said: “Our colleagues are extremely honoured to wear the Crown Badge and, as such, we wanted to pay our respects to Her Majesty on her momentous achievement. As a proud employer of more than 400 retired and serving military personnel, we know the Jubilee will be particularly poignant for them.

“Although many of our colleagues will be working hard over the Jubilee weekend, serving the North East population, I hope they are able to enjoy the celebrations in some way at some point over the weekend and leading up to it.”

All vehicles operated by NEAS are managed by the Trust’s subsidiary company, North East Ambulance Service Unified Solutions (NEASUS), with its staff working hard behind the scenes to keep the service moving.

Graham Tebbutt, Managing Director of NEASUS said: “We were really proud to play our part in the Jubilee celebrations by marking up a selection of vehicles and ensured we selected a mixture of emergency and patient transport vehicles for maximum coverage.

“All eight are now out on the road. We think they look great and hope the public agree.”

Non-executive director John Marshall, who made the initial request for the vinyl stickers, said: “The Queen has long honoured exceptional service in our sector though awarding the Queens Ambulance medal. As the nation prepares to celebrate so many years of devoted service by her, it felt right for us also to recognise this historic event and show our support and thanks.”

As part of the Jubilee celebrations, serving frontline members of the emergency services with five years’ service will be presented with a Platinum Jubilee Medal and all ambulance staff who were in post on the anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne on 6 February will be presented with a commemorative coin.

The Crown Badge was created and presented to each ambulance service in 1985 as a mark of royal approval. As well as featuring on the side of all NEAS vehicles, NEAS colleagues proudly wear the badge on their uniforms.