10 Thanet people and groups who deserve a New Year’s honour award

Thanet Winter Shelter volunteers

The New Year honours list recognises the achievements and service of people across the UK.

Along with the Birthday honours, they are the most significant announcements of civilian and military gallantry awards.

The 2018 New Year honours list will be published on Friday 29 December.

They are to recognise ordinary people and celebrities’ achievements in helping others.

The civilian gallantry award is presented to those who have attempted to or saved the life of a British citizen who isn’t a family member or close friend.

This year there have been many tales of Thanet folk doing amazing things to help others.

These are our 10 New Year honour recipients (HM The Queen doesn’t actually know about this!) although we are sure there are many more who have done amazing things this year.

Alex Ellis-Roswell

Alex is hugged by his mum as he reaches the end of his epic journey Photo Ramsgate RNLI

Birchington lad Alex undertook a mammoth three-year, 9,500 mile walk to raise funds for the RNLI.

The former farm worker packed in his job and gave up his flat in 2014 to walk around the British and Irish coastlines in tribute to his late father and to raise money for the lifesaving charity.

Alex raised more than £70,000 after visiting some 200 lifeboat stations, sleeping in church doorways, sheep sheds and bird hides and being chased by bulls!

He arrived back at Minnis Bay on November 11 and was greeted by his mum Jackie and scores of supporters.

Sid Juttla

Sid had been living with Beagle Bobby in the Baptist Church doorway

Sid sprung into action in Margate to defend a woman from being mugged.

Sid leapt to the woman’s defence after hearing her scream when a man tried to snatch her money in Cecil Square.

The 39-year-old tackled the culprit, bringing him to the ground, and restrained him with the help of another man until police arrived.

Sid had been sleeping in the doorway of the Baptist church with his rescue dog Bobby when he witnessed the attempted mugging.

His bravery, and willingness to intervene, prompted a huge Thanet response, resulting in help to get Sid housed in a new flat.

Kevin Murphy

Laura Walther and Kevin Murphy (left) with Steve Quincey and partner Sue Ward

The Margate fireman saved lives in two separate incidents.

Margate crew represented by Kevin and colleagues Steve Quincey, Andy Wright and crew manager Stuart Plumridge were commended by KFRS for their part in the rescue of two men trapped on the rocks in the sea at Walpole Bay in May.

With no time to spare they acted quickly to locate and rescue one man and helped a second out of danger and into the lifeboat. Without their act of valour both men could quite easily have been washed into the sea and lost their lives.

Kevin, along with his partner Laura Walther, also rescued a distressed young woman from a cliff edge.

Kevin was off duty and walking with Laura along the seafront in Ramsgate, when they saw that a woman had climbed over railings and was on a cliff edge in a distressed state.

While Laura phoned 999, Kevin placed his legs through the railings, wrapping them around the young woman until support arrived.

His quick-thinking prevented the woman from jumping or falling down the cliff.

Tony Palmer

Tony Palmer and family

Tony Palmer is a firefighter in Margate as well as a co-responder providing assistance in medical emergencies.  In his co-responder role he was called to help a woman who had been struck by train at Margate station in April.  Tony was first on the scene and provided emergency first aid to the lady who had suffered terrible injuries.

He remained with her at the trackside, providing assistance to the paramedics and support to the casualty during her ordeal.

Sadly the 59 year old died of her injuries.

Jason Crome

Jason waded into the inner harbour to help save a woman after they jumped into the water on Boxing Day.

The crew was called at 11.31am for assistance when a member of the public reported it to the owners of the Mariners Bar.

Natacha Crome, from the bar, rang the port control to launch the lifeboat, while her husband Jason – second mechanic and helm of Ramsgate Lifeboat – attended the scene.

He waded in down the access steps and pulled the person out of the water before a full lifeboat crew had assembled.

With the help of ambulance staff and fire crew, the person was carried up the steps and placed onto the awaiting stretcher.

Christopher Gadd and Steve Jenkinson

Santa run: Christopher, Steve and Symone stepped in to save the day

The online food and drink business owner stepped in after families were let down by a ‘no-show’ Santa.

Posts were made on social media offering to visit families and bring small gifts in the run up to Christmas. Many members of isle Community for People facebook page say they arranged appointments and made donations of money and presents for the visits which they say did not take place,

Christopher Gadd, who has a business premises in Margate, dusted off the Father Christmas suit and arranged visits with friend Steve Jenkinson to those families who were let down. Community for People admin Symone Connolly also helped organise the visits.

Detective Constable Jennifer Brightman

DC Jennifer Brightman receiving a Kent Police award for her work

DC Brightman, from the Thanet Vulnerability Investigation Team, painstakingly worked on two sexual abuse investigations resulting in two offenders being jailed for a combined 30 years.

In 2016 she took on a case which had seen a young girl be abused by a man on multiple occasions over the previous two years.

The victim was young and extremely vulnerable, but DC Brightman was able to build her trust to not only help ensure she got the right support, but also gather enough evidence to bring the offender to justice.

The offender was eventually jailed for over 14 years after being charged with nine offences.

DC Brightman also secured a 16-year prison sentence for a case that had previously been discontinued in 2008.

The case was resumed in 2013 and in the coming years she was able to familiarise herself with the circumstances, support the victim, and gain enough evidence to secure the lengthy prison sentence.

Thanet Winter Shelter volunteers

Will Anderson (purple top) helping at the shelter

Every single person who volunteered their time to help at the shelter deserves recognition.

Volunteers included Will Anderson who was helped by the project last year.

The 42-year-old found himself homeless last December. Following a relationship break up he had been staying with a friend, but circumstances meant he had to leave.

Will says he is “one of the lucky ones” because he was homeless for “just” six weeks.

With help from Aspire and others Will was able to get a flat in Cliftonville.

Will, whose health had suffered since the breakup, is now waiting for some hospital results and then hopes to get back into social care for adults with learning difficulties.

Until then he volunteered his time to be a supervisor at the Baptist Church winter shelter in Margate.

Princess World UK

Party fun at Princess World UK

A special mention for Zahra Tarjomani and her crew who gave up their time to host two special Christmas parties for youngsters facing extra hurdles in life.

The team, based at Westwood, were supported by The Isle of Thanet News in their campaign to treat youngsters who have life-limiting illnesses, disabilities or are young carers.

They also carried out a present run to the QEQM childrens’ ward on Christmas Eve which would not have been possible without the kind donations from isle residents.

Missing Dogs and Strays in Thanet

We have lost count of the number of searches, and rescues, the members of this facebook page (along with those from Thanet Animal Lovers Chat and Thanet branch RSPCA) have carried out this year.

They give their time freely to search in all weathers, day or night, and help reunite people with their missing pets.

We are sure there are many more people, as well as all our emergency services, doing fantastic things to help others. Who would you nominate?

2 Comments

    • We do in emergency reports but the recipients in this report were firemen not women and one of them is referred to as a firefighter. Another reference is to fire crews.

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