Two West Oxfordshire residents have been recognised for their achievements across charity and nursing sectors in the King's New Year Honours List 2023.
Former Clinical Director and Chief Nurse at Nuffield Health, the UK’s largest healthcare charity, Carol Kefford has been awarded an OBE for services to nursing.
Ms Kefford is current Chief Nursing Executive at HCA Healthcare UK.
During the pandemic, she led the clinical response of Nuffield Health’s network of hospitals across the UK who treated over 500,000 NHS patients and provided staff, facilities, and equipment to NHS trusts.
Her military experience of organisation was at the fore as Nuffield Health’s nursing and clinical teams learned new skills and experiences working closely with NHS colleagues.
Carol, who lives in Witney, currently serves as Colonel Commandant of Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps, representing around 4,000 serving and veteran army nurses, an honorary appointment.
In this role, she is an advisor to the Chief Nursing Officer (Army) and is a Trustee of the Regimental charity, The QARANC Association.
She said: “I am truly humbled to be awarded an OBE.
“I have loved being a nurse and nursing leader in the military, NHS and across the independent hospital sector. It was a particular pleasure to work so closely with our NHS colleagues throughout the pandemic.
"I’m lucky to have worked with so many talented nurses, clinicians and healthcare leaders who have guided, mentored and supported me so that I could give my best to our patients and the profession that has given me so much.”
Former chair of cancer support charity Maggie's, Alan Eisner, is also made an OBE for services to charitable fundraising.
Since Maggie’s opened their first centre in 1996, the charity has developed a programme of support that is proven to help people with cancer and their friends and family take back control.
Maggie’s relies almost entirely on voluntary donations to be able to offer this high quality, professional support.
Maggie's CEO Laura Lee said: "We are absolutely delighted that Alan has been given this honour.
"He worked tirelessly to bring a Maggie’s centre to Oxford and now it sees nearly 100 people a day with cancer beside the Churchill.
"He understood how important psychological and practical support is after a diagnosis and made sure the centre became a reality."
Handing over to new chair Stuart Gulliver in May 2021, Mr Eisner, who lives in Asthall Leigh, said: “Being Maggie’s chairman has been incredibly rewarding, but more importantly it has been a very gratifying experience to be part of an organisation which provides such professional support for people living with cancer."
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This story was written by Miranda Norris, she joined the team in 2021 and covers news across Oxfordshire as well as news from Witney.
Get in touch with her by emailing: Miranda.Norris@newsquest.co.uk. Or find her on Twitter: @Mirandajnorris
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