Queen Elizabeth gives UK’s health service top award, praises COVID vaccine rollout
July 13, 2022, 7:40 am

Queen Elizabeth gives UK’s health service top award, praises COVID vaccine rollout

Representatives from the NHS in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England received medals on behalf of their many colleagues - The Royal Family official Twitter account

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth on Tuesday (July 11) awarded the George Cross to the state-run National Health Service (NHS) for its work over the past 74 years and praised its COVID-19 vaccine rollout, the Alarabiya English reported, citing the AFP.

The George Cross is the highest non-military award for gallantry bestowed by the British government.

The queen presented the medal to health leaders from across the UK. They were joined at the ceremony by frontline workers, who nursed the country through the pandemic.

The latter included May Parsons, the nurse who delivered the first shot of the world’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

The nurse told the queen: “We’re terribly, terribly proud of the vaccination roll-out.” She replied: “Yes, it was amazing.”

Britain was the first country in the world to deploy an approved COVID-19 vaccine.

Congratulations and Thank You to all NHS workers, past and present - The Royal Family official Twitter account

The 96-year-old head of state was joined by her son and heir Prince Charles at the ceremony in Windsor Castle, the queen’s residence west of London.

She has stepped back from public duties since a bout of ill health last year left her with mobility issues but she appeared well on Tuesday, albeit in need of a walking stick.

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Michael Vernon, the royal official responsible for organizing ceremonial events, praised the NHS for the work it has done since it was founded in 1948.

“Over more than seven decades, and especially in recent times, you have supported the people of our country with courage, compassion and dedication, demonstrating the highest standards of public service.”

He told the ceremony: “You have our enduring thanks and heartfelt appreciation.”

Source: alarabiyaenglish

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”