Volunteer Elaine honoured with British Citizen Award

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A member of Trust staff who has volunteered for almost 45 years to improve healthcare services has received a British Citizen Award.

Carers’ lead and peer project support worker Elaine Powell BCAh was one of just 26 medallists recognised in the July 2021 Roll of Honour after being nominated by Trust chair Angela Monaghan. The British Citizen Award recognises and honours individuals from around the UK that are making a difference in their communities and society.

Elaine received her medal and certificate from BCA patron and founder of Specsavers Dame Mary Perkins at the Palace of Westminster on Wednesday 29 September.

Elaine’s decades of volunteering has seen her seek to improve support for families and healthcare education in her community. Drawing on her own lived experience, as the parent of a child with ADHD and a person of Caribbean mixed-race heritage, she has helped develop and improve services that have changed the lives of countless families across West Yorkshire.

Elaine was a parent looking for support as she had a child who was displaying various characteristics of a condition that was not recognised in the UK at that time. At the start no support services existed from a medical, educational or social care perspective. Elaine’s education, support work, campaigning and research have been significant in the establishment and improvement of services for young people and their families with ADHD in West Yorkshire.

Elaine’s work on raising awareness has included teaching medical students at the University of Leeds about ADHD and cultural health issues in Afro-Caribbean communities, delivering ADHD awareness training to volunteers and staff in Huddersfield, and training social workers on hidden impairments.

Trust chair Angela Monaghan said: “Having heard how Elaine had worked tirelessly and passionately for so long, I, with support from consultant psychiatrist and lead for our adult ADHD service, Marios Adamou, nominated her for the award. I was thrilled to see her recognised in this way.”

Volunteer Elaine honoured with British Citizen Award

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