Awards for Wiltshire lifesavers

First aid leader Ray Hinson, who runs the St John Ambulance group in Pewsey, has received a top award for saving the life of a teaching colleague at the Swindon school where he works.

Mr Hinson, who until a recent move to Swindon lived in St Margarets Mead in Marlborough, was presented with a Commander’s Award by the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, John Bush, at a ceremony at Devizes Town Hall on Tuesday last week.

This award is given to St John’s volunteers in recognition of exceptional performance or achievement.

Mr Hinson was given the award for the swift and effective action he took to help save the life of his colleague, Michael Wilson, who had collapsed at Kingsdown School in June.

Shortly after afternoon registration, lab technician Mr Hinson was called to assist after Year 7 pupils reported that their teacher had collapsed.

Mr Hinson said: “When I got there Mike was unconscious and not breathing and the school’s first aider was already administering CPR.

“I had been out on first aid duty at the weekend and, luckily, I had not had a chance to clear out my car, so the defibrillator was there in my boot.

“If I’d been more organised things might have turned out differently.”

Mr Hinson ran to get the equipment and started to shock Mr Wilson’s heart and administer further CPR to keep him going until ambulance paramedics arrived about ten minutes later.

He then helped the paramedics get Mr Wilson down to the ambulance where he was given further treatment on the way to Swindon’s Great Western Hospital. Mr Wilson has since had a quadruple by-pass and is recovering well.

Mr Hinson played down the role he played and said: “I just did what anyone in my position would have done.”

Benjamin Bateman, who is an assistant youth leader at St John’s Pewsey division, was presented with a Grand Prior Award – the highest award a cadet can achieve.

Calne couple Phil and Marie Kirton also received Commander’s Awards from the Lord Lieutenant for helping a man who had collapsed at the side of the road.

The couple were driving home from their regular Tuesday meeting of St John’s Ambulance in Melksham in July when they saw the man.

Mr Kirton, 51, who works in the medical centre at RAF Lyneham, and is a First Responder, said: “I jumped out of the car and checked him over. He appeared to have had an epileptic seizure and had been sick and was unresponsive.

“I always carry my first aid kit in my car and also had some First Responder equipment so we administered suction and gave him oxygen, dialled 999 and stayed with him until the ambulance arrived.”

Mrs Kirton, 52, works at Anzac care home in Devizes, and the couple have been members of St John Ambulance’s Melksham unit for four years.

George Soars, 14, of Chippenham Cadets and Norman Farrow-Butler, 13, of Devizes Cadets received young achievers awards.

George was nominated because of the time and effort he has put into working with St John, despite the difficulties presented by having had his left leg amputated at the age of six.

Norman is a registered young carer for his mother and he uses his first aid skills to help her out when she suffers from difficulties such as asthma attacks. The boys met Princess Anne at Buckingham Palace last month along with other young achievers from all over the country.

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