'I’ve got an army behind me’ says Mum honoured in awards scheme

We have recently celebrated the unsung heroes who live in our communities at our annual Community Heroes Awards, announced on Wednesday 19 June.

The Going the Extra Mile Award – which is awarded to someone who goes above and beyond to help others – has been awarded to Evesham Mum, Kerry Wood.

Our vision is to build a better future by investing in affordable homes, services and communities – we launched our awards programme in 2022 to highlight the work that both our customers and partners do in their local communities.

Kerry’s story is inspirational; in 2021 the town’s community ambulance station closed meaning that ambulances would travel from Worcester, Warwick or Gloucester, causing delays to patient care.  As a paramedic – and busy Mum of four – Kerry set about researching installing defibrillators in the town.

She explained: “I installed Evesham’s first defibrillator outside my home and since then it has snowballed!”

Kerry has tirelessly fundraised for more and has set up a team of people to carry on her work; there are now 24 throughout the town.  The group – known as Evesham Defibrillators – is made up of Kerry and 4 other women, Sue Dyke, Kerry Yeates, Karen Stephens and Donna Atkin.

Kerry said: “I really don’t want to take all the credit for this; I have an army behind me!  I was not expecting to win this award and I feel truly humbled.”

Marion Duffy, Chief Operations Officer at Platform Housing Group said: “Kerry is an absolute inspiration; defibrillators save lives and what Kerry has done by organising teams of people to continue such valuable work means that people’s lives are continuing to be saved.  She should be very proud of her army and very proud of herself as its leader!  What she has done for her local community deserves to be rewarded.”

The award category was sponsored by AMP EV, independent electric vehicle charging point installers and service agents.

Alasdair Croft, Managing Director from AMP EV said: “We are so proud to be sponsoring the Going the Extra Mile award for the first time.  Our company values align with this award as we believe that it is important to go above and beyond in everything we do.  We give our heartfelt thanks to Kerry and congratulate her for this recognition.”

The awards are made possible by main sponsor Travis Perkins Managed Services, the UK’s leading supply chain and procurement solutions partner to the repairs and maintenance sector.

Ben Clifford, Account Manager at Travis Perkins Managed Services said: “We are so proud to be the main event sponsors for Platform’s Community Heroes Awards for the third successive year.  Our company values align with these awards and exemplifies our commitment to social value.  Well done to all the worthy winners; its great they have been recognised and rewarded within their communities.”

Find out more about Kerry’s accolade, and watch her receive her award here.

Photo caption:  L to R, Gem Murphy, Head of Customer and Community Engagement at Platform Housing Group and Kerry Wood, founder of Evesham Defibrillators