We are delighted to announce that Kelvin Langford, head of security and car parking at The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT), has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM).
Kelvin has been recognised for his volunteering outside of work to support veterans in the King’s New Year Honours List. In particular, he has been recognised for his contributions as a volunteer coordinator for the Civilian Services Contingent and for the Veteran Community of Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, where he has lived for 20 years.
Kelvin has worked at PAHT as the head of security and car parking since January 2024, and he was previously senior project lead for the NHS England Violence Reduction and Prevention team. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he took a national lead role as the NHS security advisor. This involved working with various security and intelligence services for the security and protection of the vaccine rollout and the continued safety of staff working at vaccine hubs around England. Prior to this, he worked in roles including head of security for East Midlands Ambulance Service, head of security at Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust and senior manager for HM Prison Service.
Kelvin said, “I have worked with various charities and initiatives during my career, and during this time, I was involved with opening a homeless shelter in the Humberside area. In doing so, I met a lot of veterans that had fallen on hard times, which inspired me to work within my own community with local veterans.
“I received notification of the award in early December with clear instructions not to tell anyone. I am overwhelmed that the people I have worked alongside felt I had made such a difference with being involved with ceremonial duties for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, the Coronation of King Charles III, and nearly 20 years volunteering in the Civilian Services Contingent for the National Service of Remembrance and to the Veterans of Newark as the treasurer for the Royal British Legion.
“It has been the longest month to keep such a secret to oneself, and I still think I will receive a call to say that an error has been made in giving me this award for which I am still pinching myself – it is an award that I have earned as being part of a team.”
Sharon McNally, chief nurse and deputy chief executive at PAHT, said: “Congratulations to Kelvin on this amazing accolade.
“Kelvin has made an extraordinary impact on the lives of the veterans his volunteering work has supported and it is fantastic to see him receive this recognition.”