Honour for Honor, the hospital trolley hero
An NHS volunteer who has delivered thousands of refreshments to patients on the wards at The Royal London Hospital has been recognised in the New Year Honours list.
Honor Cousens has operated the trolley service, which serves cold drinks, sweets, snacks and magazines at the hospital in Tower Hamlets, for many years.
She has been awarded a British Empire Medal.
Hospital trolley services are a lifeline for patients who are unable to get out of bed, and staff who don’t have the opportunity to leave the wards during their shift.
Volunteers or ‘vollies’, who are members of the Friends of the Royal London Hospital charity, also provide a free listening service to anyone with concerns about their medical condition, or who simply want to talk to a friendly face.
Honor, who is the volunteer manager for the shop trolley team, continues to operate the trolley service beyond her seventieth year.
She said: "Guiding the trolley shop and chatting to patients is such a privilege. The patients are so uplifting with their bravery.
"I am surrounded by so many inspirational people with stories to share, generosity and warmth and humour.
"To receive a BEM for something I love doing is an enormous shock and very humbling."
In 2023, Honor was one of a number of Friends members whose contribution to the trolley service was recognised with a long service award.
She described the hard work involved in operating the service: "Loading and pushing the trolley around the wards for three or four hours might seem easy, but by the time I have offloaded the cold drinks back into the fridges and re-stocked the trolley, cashed up and headed off home to give [my dog] Hooligan his third walk of the day, I am about ready for half an hour’s sit-down to recuperate!"
The Friends of The Royal London Hospital was established in 1979 as a charity dedicated to improving amenities for both staff and patients.
Support includes grants to fund equipment where the NHS is unable to do so, and a programme of musical events held in the hospital foyer throughout the year.
Its members include former staff as well patients and other people from the local area.
Honor is one of a number of NHS staff and volunteers to feature in this year’s Honours list.
A British Empire Medal is awarded to individuals who have made a sustained commitment in support of a charity or voluntary organisation in their local area and in particular recognises ‘hands-on’ service.
Pictured top: Honor (right) serves a member of hospital staff; pictured below, Honor (far right) alongside fellow Friend volunteers Christine Winterflood, Trevor Beedham, Steve Harris and Judith Walker.
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