The team accepted an invitation to attend this the last GMAS Awards Ceremony before the July 1st 2006 formation of the new North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust. Our Team Leader Garry Rhodes, Deputy Leader Geoff Seddon, Senior Team member Mike Marsh and Vice President Tony McNally all attended the evenings ceremony held at New Century House, Corporation Street, Manchester.
The evening was attended by staff from GMAS, both operational emergency, control room, PTS and support functions ( ncluding their Executive Team) alongside representatives from Community First Responders and Oldham MRT.

The Master of Ceremonies for the evening was BBC North West Tonight presenter Gordon Burns whose opening welcome was followed by an address from Alan Stephenson, Chairman of GMAS NHS Trust.

Ambulance Service Long Service and Good Conduct Medals (Queens Medal) and Long Service Awards were then presented by the Queens Representative, Colonel Sir John Bradford Timmins KCVO OBE TD JP, Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester.
These awards were then followed by Paramedic and Technician Certificates presented by GMAS Chief Executive John Burnside.
Immediately following came the Jeanette Pugh Memorial Award and then the Special Commendations Awards, presented by GMAS Chief Executive John Burnside.
Under this catagory and following an excellent introduction by Gordon Burns, our four team representatives and our colleagues from Oldham MRT were asked to go forward to receive a special award made to each team.
We both received a beautiful plaque similarly inscribed “Presented to Bolton Mountain Rescue In recognition of Many Years of Close Partnership Working.”
It was a great honour for our team and Oldham MRT to receive these awards, and both teams got a rousing reception from all present.
The awards concluded with Peer Nominated Awards and a closing address by John Burnside and Gordon Burns.

Mike Marsh, TL Garry Rhodes (standing), Tony McNally & DTL Geoff Seddon with the plaque presented to us by GMAS.

The evening was rounded off by an excellent light buffet. (Quotes of the evening…..from Oldhams Team Leader ” If this is the light buffet then what must the full buffet look like.” and from Bolton Team member Mike Marsh….”you can tell where the MRTs were sat, theres no food left on their table !”)
It was particularly nice to see so many of our friends in GMAS present at the Awards Ceremony tonight, including ex team member and GMAS Paramedic Peter Idle who received his 25 years service Certificate. (Well done Peter)

The Bolton MRT Team with Peter Idles wife Karen.

Thanks are due to GMAS Communications Team headed by Sarah Smith for organising such an excelent evening to which our four team members attending were very honoured to be invited to.

Looking to the immediate future and to the formation of the new North West Ambulance Service, it was noteworthy to mention that in the address to our award (including Oldham MRT) there was very specific mention of the fact that under the new authority the existing excellent working relationship and partnership with Bolton MRT and Oldham MRT will continue.