British Empire Medal presented to Moray’s star of Health and Social Care
Liz Tait has been presented with the British Empire Medal (BEM) for her outstanding service as a British Red Cross Emergency Response Volunteer, for her services at the State Funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth II, and for her services to the NHS in Moray.
The senior member of the Clinical and Care staff at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin was recognised in the 2023 King’s Birthday Honours List.
She was invested with her medal by Moray’s Lord-Lieutenant, Major General Seymour Monro CBE LVO, on behalf of His Majesty the King.
The Lossiemouth-based activist and fundraiser, who grew up in Invergordon, Ross-Shire, was joined for the ceremony at Dr Gray’s chapel by her husband Alex, one of their three daughters, Susanna Miller, and more than 20 of her closest colleagues from Dr Gray’s and Moray Health and Social Care Partnership, including representatives from nursing, administration, stores, dining room, and hospital portering departments.
An online video link was set up in the chapel for Liz’s other two daughters, who do not live locally.
The Honours citation was read out by Margaret Stenton, Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of Moray, who volunteered at Dr Gray’s Hospital during the pandemic.
Major General Seymour Monro said the BEM recognises Liz’s very “hands-on” service to the community in Moray and to the wider world, saying: “Liz has delivered real impact in her sustained commitment in support of very local charitable causes, for her global voluntary activity often in difficult and dangerous circumstances, and for her innovative and compassionate work as a Moray healthcare professional.
“Liz truly deserves this honour for everything she has done to help others in the face of adversity.”
Liz described being named in the Honours list as “a wee bit embarrassing”, saying: “I get such a buzz out of being able to help people in very difficult circumstances in their lives, whether they’re a local patient or going through a crisis somewhere out there in the world. I get such a lot back from helping other people that receiving this high honour is almost a wee bit embarrassing. I’m extremely grateful to everyone who is behind me because I can’t do what I do without them. This award is not just about me, it’s about them and the support that they give to me.”
Liz has been volunteering for the British Red Cross for 50 years, serving at home and abroad. She volunteered to be on shift throughout the week of the late Queen’s Lying in State in Westminster Hall, supporting hundreds of members of the public who had been queuing for up to 24 hours to pay their respects.
As a member of the British Red Cross Psychosocial and Mental Health Team Liz has, since 2018, given support in person at hearings, and also on the medical support line, to those infected and affected in the Infected Blood Enquiry. Liz is also a member of the Psychosocial Support Team which deploys with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to emergencies overseas.
Most recently Liz has been supporting asylum seekers closer to home as they arrived in Elgin. Her work in Dubai in 2019 supporting refugees fleeing Afghanistan as Kabul fell was among her deployments.