St Nicholas Day Celebration ^ Fr. Peter Sherred ■— ..... —■ SecAmb Ambulance Chaplain, Station he biannual Celebration and Ambulance Service, the Fire and TThanksgiving in word and song Rescue Services, Air Ambulance, for the life and work of the Emergency Dover Lifeboat, the Coastguard and Services took place on the Feast of St Maritime Agency, Kent County Nicholas, December 6^; at the Council Emergency Services, Dover Church of Our Lady of Dover on the Counselling services, the Salvation Buckland Estate by kind permission of Army, Church in Society and the St the Catholic priest Fr John Panario. John Ambulance among others. Attended by the Chairman of Dover The Town Mayor symbolically made District Council Councillor Bernard the first cut of a magnificent cake, Butcher, the High Sheriff of Kent Mrs made especially for the occasion by Jane Rogers, a Deputy Lieutenant of Chrissie Whitnall this time round Kent The Lady Pender DL, the Right with a lifeboat theme, with the Worshipful the Tbwn Mayor of Dover, lifeboat coxswain present at the Councillor Mrs Sue Jones (also in her cutting ceremony. The Prime capacity as Speaker of the Cinque Minister's wife, Sarah Brown, sent a Ports), with her Mayoress Councillor message to be included in the Mrs Ronnie Philpott and other civic Programme in which she said, "The dignitaries, including Dover and Deal British emergency services are some MP Gwyn Prosser. of the greatest in the world and I'm The musical talent of The Fortuners, delighted that this special celebration a brass quartet from the Canterbury is being held to honour those who put area, as well as Dover's own chamber their lives at risk for others day after choir - the Pharos Choir - entertained day. Gordon and I have been the packed church and all humbled by all the emergency participated in a selection of well services workers we have met this known Advent songs and Christmas year and they and their colleagues carols. The most important people will be in our thoughts and prayers as attending were those from the they show their devotion to duty Emergency Services themselves, and throughout the festive season. Their a representative of the Emergency skills, dedication and courage are one Services gave each of the readings, of the things that make our country which combined both the sacred and great and I'm pleased to send our very the secular. Such representatives were warmest wishes to you and your drawn from the Police, the families this Christmas". St Nicholas also made an appearance hangings, suicides, infernos or at the event dispensing goodies in the whatever but when the call is form of chocolate coins to many of received, these people respond those attending. The Pianist for the immediately often putting their own event was Graham TUtthill and the lives in danger in the process. As the Narrator was Terry Sutton MBE. The Programme said “There when you need event also remembered the deaths of us; Free at the point of service". We the last three veterans of the Great should never take the members of the War who lived in the . Emergency Services for granted nor A retiring collection was taken and abuse the system they represent. We the magnificent sum of £400 was should feel privileged to live in a raised to send to the widow and four country where we are blessed with children of PC Bill Barker the police remarkable people who provide constable who was so tragically swept round the clock cover for us in our away by the dreadful floods in times of utmost need. They are, in Cumbria that occurred in November. short, the understated heroes and In 2007, a similar collection resulted heroines of our age. in payments being made to the 2011 should be the next scheduled families of each of the fire fighters occasion for such event and killed in the Atherstone on Stour appreciation is given to Fr John warehouse fire. Panario and the members of the Members of the Emergency Services church of Our Lady of Dover for expressed their appreciation for this hosting the last two of these events. celebration which, once again, To ring the changes a new venue will brought them altogether under one be considered for any future event of roof albeit for a relatively short period this nature. It is hoped a DVD of the of time. The purpose of the event is to latest event will be available shortly. raise and maintain public awareness of the role the Emergency Services play in all our lives and especially the work of the personnel of those services. It is also a modest way of saying Thank You' to the personnel of the services for all they do on our behalf. As was explained at the event the members are available twenty- four hours a day three hundred and sixty five days a year and they never know what each shift will present to them. It could be a serious Road Traffic Accident, unexplained deaths,