NHS worker to receive British Empire Medal for global crisis voluntary work

Liz Tait has been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours List for helping people through crises all around the world

Liz Tait helped people flee Sudan when fighting broke about between rival military forces in April (British Red Cross/PA)

A British Red Cross volunteer who helped UK citizens escape Sudan when armed conflict broke out earlier this year has been chosen to receive a British Empire Medal (BEM).

Liz Tait, from Lossiemouth, has been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours List for her services to volunteering after spending more than half a century offering dedicated support to people caught up in all kinds of crises around the world.

The 65-year-old, originally from Kilmarnock, was deployed to Cyprus with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in April as part of the British Red Cross’ Psychosocial and Mental Health Team when clashes started between Sudan’s military and its main paramilitary force.

Ms Tait, who works as a professional lead for clinical governance at NHS Grampian, drew on leadership skills built up over her 55-year long volunteering career to help people in distress escape the country where hundreds have been killed during the fighting.

She said: “I am absolutely delighted to have been recognised in the Birthday Honours list for my work volunteering with the British Red Cross.

“As a team, we work extremely hard to help people who face the most difficult challenges in life and it is a huge honour to be recognised for that.”

Ms Tait was first deployed through the FCDO to support people fleeing Beirut in 2006 and has since volunteered during emergencies including the Chinese earthquake in 2008, the Tunisian terror attack in 2015, Hurricane Irma in Dominica in 2017 and the Afghanistan evacuation in 2021.

She was also part of the British Red Cross teams who responded to the Manchester arena bombing in 2017 and the Grenfell Tower fire later the same year – and last year volunteered to help during the week of public queuing in London as the late Queen lay in state in Westminster Hall.

Her colleagues praised her “exceptional” professionalism throughout her time in London as she supported people for whom the Queen’s death triggered memories of grief for their loved ones.

She said: “I’ve had a very varied volunteering career which has taken me across the world in different capacities.

“It is so important to be able to do this work in order to ensure people who are in crisis or affected by disasters can receive the correct support.

“I also have to thank my colleagues in NHS Grampian who have been very supportive of my volunteering work over the years.”

British Red Cross chief executive Mike Adamson said: “Our volunteers’ work nationwide is vital to our organisation in delivering the very best support to those in crisis.

“We are thrilled to see Liz recognised for her efforts as a key member of our Psychosocial and Mental Health Team, and we’d like to take this opportunity to thank her for his tireless work as a Red Cross volunteer.”