Ben Hawkins, a former emergency dispatch worker from East of England Ambulance Service, and a mental health champion, has been recognised with the BEM in the King’s New Year’s Honours List. His British Empire Medal (BEM) is for services to emergency care, staff wellbeing and mental health.
In 2020 Ben, of Yaxley near Peterborough, produced a documentary to raise awareness of the experiences of frontline emergency workers.
By sharing his own struggles with mental health in the video, Ben, now 26, hoped to encourage others to share their story and seek help if they are struggling.
Ben started to struggle with his mental health in 2019 after his relationship broke up and he started receiving horrible comments on social media.
Ben says: “It left me feeling quite worthless and undervalued; I felt overwhelmed with emotions and started to question everything about myself.”
He said that in his role in the ambulance service, he had few hundred volunteers and staff who looked to him for advice and guidance; he found it “quite tough and I felt like there was never really time for me to be unwell.
“I needed to be okay to support staff and friends. I was embarrassed to admit I was focusing on this front for so long that I wasn’t myself.”
Ben’s mental health continued to deteriorate, and he was struggling to go to work or even leave the house. He also started experiencing physical symptoms.
Ben says: “I started to have palpitations, headaches, and sickness so bad I actually vomited. But I needed to put on a front because that’s who I was, because I’m a happy person that doesn’t suffer from anxiety. I saw it as a weakness.”
In November 2019, Ben’s friend and EEAST colleague Luke Wright took his own life.
Ben took a day off before returning to work and the following day received an emergency call from someone attempting suicide.
Ben said: “After that call, that’s when I hit rock bottom. I couldn’t keep up the front any longer and decided that suicide was the only way. If it wasn’t for one of my good friends I wouldn’t be here today.”
Ben had therapy for his mental health and urged others to not be embarrassed about their mental health and to seek help if they’re struggling.
Ben said at the time: “What’s really important is that we do talk about mental health. “It’s not embarrassing, it doesn’t make you weak. It actually makes you stronger because you can talk about it. So, if you’re suffering, please get some help.”
In 2023 Ben, for the second time in three years, picked up at award at the England Ambulance Service (EEAST).
He won a Control Room award when picking up the Community Champion Award.
Of Ben’s award, the judges said: This is Ben’s second Control Room Awards win, having been named Young Achiever of the Year in 2021, which shows what an outstanding individual he is.
“Ben’s commitment as a community first responder and volunteer with Norfolk Accident Rescue Service are extraordinary. He is devoted to saving lives. He is also tireless in his efforts to support his colleagues, particularly as an advocate for positive mental health.”
Ben now works for the British Transport Police.
He told the BBC how he was “screaming with joy” when he opened a Cabinet Office letter telling him of the award.
“I kind of set myself a mission to improve mental health across the emergency services for everyone,” he said.
He said he had written blogs and his campaigning “blew up” and attracted the attention of the media.
Ben told the BBC he thought the letter telling him of his award was sent in error.
