A Derry lecturer has been honoured with an MBE for her work helping people with Down Syndrome during the pandemic.
Angela Thompson, who teaches Health and Social Care, was given an MBE for her Voluntary Service in Northern Ireland, particularly during the pandemic when people with Down Syndrome felt at risk.
As well as lecturing at North West Regional College, Angela is a volunteer with the Foyle Down Syndrome Trust where she is a director and chairperson, and with St John Ambulance, where she is a former area manager and current regional infection prevention and control lead for Northern Ireland.
When the first lockdown began in March 2020, Angela’s expertise in infection control that she acquired while nursing became invaluable to the charity.
The former nurse and mum-of-two said she was "shocked but deeply honoured" when she was told she would be awarded an MBE.
Angela added: “At the beginning, it was all about educating families and our young people, it was a learning experience for everyone and we had to find a way to explain lockdown to everyone.
“We knew immediately that we had to ensure that our young people still had access to all of the services they were using such as jo jingles, gardening, catering, socialising, and yoga. We moved quickly to ensure all these activities were available online.
"As well and the physical benefits of all these activities we wanted to ensure that mental health needs were also looked after. It was all about learning through fun and everyone responded to it.
“When it came to vaccinations, we wanted to ensure everyone was looked after and got all the information they needed, and we ran our own vaccination clinics at the FDST building for all the young adults with down syndrome.
“When restrictions began to ease and the young people were allowed to attend activities in the FDST building we used painted feet on the floors of the building, made posters, and implemented a one-way system, everything we could to support our young people, and to help them understand that it was OK to be outside again. Everyone responded really well, and it was a pleasure to teach the young people and be a part of it.”
During the pandemic and lockdown, Angela’s role was to check that all volunteers had the correct PPE and access to it when completing duties for St John's Ambulance, helping with the NIAS. She was responsible for auditing all the St John's ambulances and garages for cleanliness in order to prevent any spread of infection.
With her lecturing at NWRC and voluntary work, Angela is a busy woman but she says she wouldn’t have it any other way.
She said: “It’s extremely rewardin. I love teaching at NWRC and my son Benjamin is a student there studying catering.
"I’ve been with St John Ambulance for 51 years and I’ve shared many of my voluntary experiences with students, many of whom have gone on to volunteer with St John Ambulance themselves and then progressed to careers in Health and Care.”
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