Every year, the BGS invites nominations for our Special Medal. This is awarded to someone outside the clinical world who has made a valuable contribution to the care and quality of life of older people.
This year, the winner of the BGS Special Medal is Christine Greenhalgh, for her years of service to older people in her community. She has supported the work of the Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin branch of AgeUK in many roles.
For Christine, devoting her time and passion to improving the lives of older people felt like the natural thing to do. Growing up, she helped care for her gran, who lived with the family. This, along with later caring for other older relatives, meant Christine has always looked at things from the point of view of older people.
Christine started as a volunteer for what was then Age Concern around 35 years ago. Soon after, she was organising and delivering transport to a new day centre for those who were previously unable to leave their homes. In 1992, she became the organiser for the centre, a role she remained in for well over a decade. During that time, she organised accessible boat trips, picnics, barbeques, and even a holiday to the Welsh coast. She describes those experiences as some of her most rewarding.
She went on to become a trustee, chair, president, ambassador, fundraiser, and, in recent years, a volunteer befriender. It’s safe to say that Christine knows her community inside out.
Christine remains involved with AgeUK Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, and describes the staff, trustees, and volunteers as friends and family. She is immensely proud of the varied services the branch is able to offer to older people, and describes it as a dedicated, caring, and welcoming community. She is proud that when she was a trustee, and to this day, items from one meeting were always either done or almost done by the next meeting, such was and is the work ethic of all those involved.
When Christine first heard she had been nominated for and won this BGS award, her first thought was, “Do I deserve it?” We, along with AgeUK Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, can assure her that she does.
Congratulations, Christine. We can’t wait to meet you at our Autumn Meeting and present you with your medal.
