Care workers from Wantage, Chipping Norton and Cholsey given top awards (From Banbury Cake)

Care workers from Wantage, Chipping Norton and Cholsey given top awards

12:27pm Thursday 9th July 2009

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THREE care workers from Oxfordshire have been honoured with a top international medal for dedicating their lives to others.

Patsy Just, of Wantage, Julie Maddison, of Chipping Norton, and Sidney Street, of Cholsey, have each been given the Medal of Honour from the British arm of the world’s oldest order of chivalry, the Sovereign Order of Malta.

The feat is remarkable, given that only ten have been awarded in Britain this year.

The crosses are awarded by The Orders of St John Care Trust, a group of care homes sponsored by the Sovereign Order of Malta and the Venerable Order of St John.

Mother-of-two Mrs Just, 43, who received a silver merit, works as area operations manager for the trust and has more than 24 years of experience in the caring profession.

She said: “It is a really wonderful honour. You seem a bit of a fraud really, getting an award for doing something you love.

“When you work with older people, you are learning all of the time, it’s amazing.

“Meeting all the different people is fantastic.”

Care leader Julie Maddison, 49, was presented with a bronze medal for her outstanding work at care home, Castle View, in Spring Street, Chipping Norton.

She has been a care worker for more than 20 years.

Mrs Maddison, who has three children, said: “I was shocked, but pleased with the medal.

“I enjoy my job, I love the elderly, they are lovely, they are contented and most of them say ‘Thank you’.”

Sidney Street, 77, was awarded for his ongoing work as a volunteer at Westgate House, in Wallingford.

The retired railway engineer became involved in the home after his wife Eileen, 76, who suffers from dementia as a result of Alzheimer’s Disease, became a resident there.

He was given a bronze medal for his help building a specialist sensory garden at the home.

Mr Street said: “It was a total surprise and I feel very honoured.

“I visit my wife most days at Westgate and I just got into it.”

His daughter, Yvonne Vokins, 40, of Wallingford, works at Westgate as a nurse, and was at the ceremony at the Brompton Oratory, in London, when Mr Street picked up the award. He said: “The ceremony was fabulous, absolutely marvellous. We had a wonderful day, I did enjoy it.”

Nigel Reed, OSJCT’s chief executive, said: “The Order of Malta awards ceremony is a really significant event.

“Very few of these awards are given out each year, so it’s a special opportunity for outstanding staff such as Patsy, Julie and Sidney to be congratulated and rewarded for their efforts over and above their normal job parameters.

“The trust is extremely proud of the high standards of care it provides and we recognise it is important to acknowledge and reward the special efforts made by our staff.”

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