When Cheryl Carter joined the ambulance service 22 years ago, there were only two control assistants taking calls per night shift; there were will be quite a few more this Christmas period and New Year’s Eve.
Cheryl, now a Dispatch Officer in our Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), joined Lincolnshire Ambulance Service in November 2000 and has worked many shifts during the festive period over the years, including a run of seven Christmas Days in a row when her son was younger.
This year she’s getting to spend the day with most of her family, although her husband, who also works in our EOC, is working Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
She said: “In the past, my family and I have celebrated Christmas on other days.
“We do try to make it special at work with my work family though. We give presents and there’s lots of chocolate being shared; anything we can do to get people through the day.
“I am really looking forward to spending the day with family this year; it’s the best Christmas present ever and a real blessing.”
Although Cheryl will be off this Christmas Day, she is working New Year’s Eve, which is one of our busiest days of the year.
She said: “It’s definitely busier than it used to be, and even more so over the last couple of years.
“We’ll make the best of it though. We’re doing a job we love, because if we didn’t we wouldn’t be there.”
Cheryl is pictured here with her colleagues and the food donations collected in the EOC for a local food bank.
The EOC team also raise money for local charities each year through a raffle. This year they raised £182.50 and bought toys for the children spending Christmas at the Lincoln Women’s Refuge.