New Year’s Honour for Jacqui Darlington
Jacqui has volunteered with Healthwatch Rutland since its early days, later becoming a board member and now, Vice Chair of the Healthwatch Rutland board. Jacqui covers several areas of special interest for Healthwatch Rutland including, carers, learning disabilities and autism, children and young people, personal health budgets and direct payments (to name a few). We are very grateful at HWR to be able to receive a share of her time along with all the other voluntary roles and projects that she generously supports!
In spite of being extremely ill herself early on in the Coronavirus crisis last year, Jacqui has applied her natural warmth and empathy in the virtual world, working with her other groups Mobilise and Carers UK, offering virtual chats and befriending to unpaid carers who have become isolated during lockdowns and shielding.
Similarly, Jacqui’s work with Out of Hours Club Rutland has continued during the coronavirus crisis, sometimes virtually and sometimes face-to-face. The club was founded in 2015 to offer young adults with additional needs, who are isolated or at risk of becoming so, opportunities to meet others and to improve independence.
With her characteristic humility, Jacqui said;
“I am so grateful and humbled to be receiving a British Empire Medal in the Queen’s New Year 2021 Honours, for Services to the Community in Rutland. Thank you so much everyone for your congratulations and good wishes. I really do appreciate them all”
Congratulations Jacqui Darlington BEM, there is no-one more deserving of this honour.
Find Information for Carers in the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Areas
Jacqui also creates a monthly newsletter containing the latest information for carers locally. You can also follow the newsletters Facebook and Twitter page.
