Stuart in running for award
A charity helpline worker is the only Scottish employee in the running for a prestigious award.
Epilepsy Scotland’s Helpline & Information Officer Stuart Macgee, from Doonfoot, has been shortlisted for the Helpline Employee of the Year Award which takes place today ( Wednesday ) at the Crowne Plaza Hotel , Birmingham.
The awards recognise and celebrate the work that helplines, their staff and volunteers do by providing information, support and advice to improve people’s lives. Stuart has played an integral role in ensuring that callers are prioritised, whether it’s a telephone call, a face- to- face meeting, information event or the production of a factsheet.
He has also helped set up Epilepsy Scotland’s new Ayrshire Information Service available every Wednesday at the Baird Centre, within Hansel Village.
Stuart said: “It is a great honour to be shortlisted.”
Robyn Friel of Epilepsy Scotland, said: “Stuart has a detailed knowledge about epilepsy, is very helpful, patient and understanding and has helped thousands of people living with epilepsy.”
South Ayrshire’s police commander has condemned a series of attacks on his officers — which saw one taken to hospital with alleged bite marks on their arm.
Chief Inspector Brian Anderson has hit out after four of his serving officers were subjected to assaults by members of the public.
The Post has learned that the assaults took place late last month as hard- working officers were in the execution of their duty.
In one incident a cop was hospitalised.
Thankfully, the officer who was the alleged victim of the bite to their arm, was back on duty the following day.
News of the incidents follows recent media coverage of attacks on police, which have more than doubled since the formation of Police Scotland six years ago.
Locally, Ayrshire has seen one of the highest increases on police attacks.
In the first year of the unified force, 778 attacks were carried out on officers and civilian staff across the country in the last 12 months, the number of assaults has risen to 1685 – an increase of 52 per cent in six years.
The figures, released by Police Scotland under freedom of information, also show that the two areas which recorded the next highest number of police assaults were Ayrshire and Glasgow- with 189 attacks each.
CI Anderson shared his disappointment on social media.
He said: “Disappointed to come to work to find four officers subject of assaults overnight, with one requiring hospital treatment after allegedly being bitten on the arm.
“Officers do not come to work to be assaulted- it’s not in the job description! Those who do assault cops end up in one place.”