A FORMER director of nursing for NHS Barnsley, a local politician and a therapist who works with young transplant patients have been recognised for their achievements in the New Year’s Honours list.
Margaret Kitching, head nurse for the north and former director of nursing with NHS Barnsley has been made an MBE for services to nursing, while local politics powerhouse John Wade and pioneering healthcare specialist Lisa Beaumont were both given British Empire Medals.
Margaret, who lives in Barnsley, told the Chronicle she has one proviso when it comes to her high-profile job in the NHS - she has to stay in touch with frontline work.
Margaret, who was born and brought up in Barnsley, is chief nurse north NHS England. She describes this as ‘an enormous job’ but says: “I still do clinical frontline work every week.
“That is unusual, but it is what I want to do. I have never taken a senior job unless I was allowed to continue clinical practice.”
After training at Barnsley Hospital, her 40-year career has taken in midwifery, community nursing and specialist roles. She has been in her present job for five years and previously held similar roles in the Yorkshire and Humber and South Yorkshire regions.
She is based in Leeds but works as a tissue viability specialist nurse in Barnsley once a week.
She believes she is able to effectively contribute from a frontline perspective which enhances and complements her executive role.
It wasn’t always nursing though.
“I was going into banking and had been accepted for a job,” said Margaret
“But my dad became terminally ill and I was suddenly exposed to nursing. That was it. I knew that was what I wanted to do.”
A trustee of Yorkshire Cancer Research, she has two sons and three grandchildren.
Margaret heard about the honour a few weeks before it was announced. “It was amazing,” she said. “But you think: which part of my work have I got it for?”
She thinks this will be her last job before retirement and says she has enjoyed ‘the most rewarding career’.
“I would advise anyone to go into nursing,” said Margaret. “Working with patients and their families is the biggest reward I have ever had and it is why I still insist on frontline work.”
Margaret ‘Tweeted’ to say thank you to everyone for the ‘lovely messages’ on Twitter, and has ‘re-tweeted’ many of the dozens of messages congratulating her.
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‘Nice to be recognised after 50 years’ service’
JOHN Wade has had a career in local politics for more than 50 years, starting with Penistone Rural District Council in 1965 on a voluntary basis in an attempt to improve circumstances for his lifelong home village of Oxspring, before moving on to Barnsley Council in the 70s.
John, 92, who is no-longer a councillor but is still a vocal attendee at local meetings such as Police and Community Together, said it was ‘nice to be recognised after 50 years’ as he received the BEM for services to the community of Oxspring.
“There are things a lot of people have seen, and others you don’t see as much of,” John said.
“It’s nice that it has all been valued. I tackle each problem as it comes along, and I don’t do it expecting remuneration of any kind. You just get on with it.”
Although his achievements are too many to list he says he would have to ‘sit down for an hour or two’ to go through them all John picks out his lobbying to move a controversial planned sewage works away from Oxspring as a career highlight.
“I hounded the local government to put the works in the right place, and after weeks of long enquiries, they realised I was correct,” said John.
“Those kinds of things are the ones I’m most pleased about being recognised. I do it because it’s the right thing to do.”
Away from local issues John, a keen motorcyclist in his youth, also spearheaded the campaign to introduce the ‘long vehicle’ signs that are now used nationally on lorries.
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LISA Beaumont, 49, of West Moor Crescent, Pogmoor, is a voluntary therapeutic and specialist play manager with Leeds Teaching Hospitals who has spent much of her time at the forefront of children’s transplant care.
Lisa was also awarded the BEM in this year’s New Year’s honours list. Over more than 30 years working with the group of hospitals, Lisa and her team empower young transplant patients and provide tailored support for those going through procedures, before, during and after treatment.
Much of her work is undertaken voluntarily, working with charities such as Make a Wish to organise parties and trips abroad, giving children an increased range of experiences and quality of life.
In 2014 she received the Unsung Hero Award at the Health Awards for her work with young patients, and her BEM comes for her services to the British and World Transplant Games.
Every year, Lisa organises for a team of 35-40 children and young people from the Leeds Children’s Hospital to take part in the British Transplant Games, and manages the Team GB Juniors at the World Transplant Games too. Lisa is the children’s representative for Transplant Sport.
Lisa said: “The support and friendship at the Transplant Games is unbelievable. You can’t measure it. I love that we can make that happen.
“When you see children who’ve been so very ill for often years, and you’ve seen their families struggle through that very long journey and then a donor becomes available for them... the gift of life is just priceless.
“Knowing you can make a difference in that journey is wonderful.”
Lisa works closely with charities including Make a Wish and Rays of Sunshine to ensure that patients and their families have all the support they need and she often organises and accompanies children on trips abroad such as skiing in Switzerland in order to help build their confidence and fulfil their personal goals.
Much of Lisa’s work is voluntary and undertaken in her own time, providing opportunities for children and young people who, without Lisa, would not have had such a range and quality of life experiences made available to them.
“I was speechless when I received the news that I had been given this honour,” she said.
“I feel completely honoured that people have taken the time to nominate me. I do these things for the children and to give them the best experiences in life.
“Everything we do also raises awareness of organ donation it is about getting more people to register and share their wishes with their family so that we can help even more children to have a transplant.”
