Pride of Britain heroes’ day at Downing Street
Award winner Suzie, five, talks footwear with PM Theresa May
GOING THE EXTRA SMILE Winners Suzie McCash and George Mathias, with his brother James, far left, & Theresa May
THE Prime Minister is renowned for her fabulous footwear but she met her match when Pride of Britain winner Suzie McCash visited Downing Street.
The sparkling purple trainers fiveyear-old Suzie wore on stage when she collected her Child of Courage award attracted numerous compliments.
She then praised Theresa May’s bright red heels as they compared footwear at No10 the day after the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards, in partnership with TSB.
Suzie’s mum Rowena said: “She’s very impressed to meet the Prime Minister – she’s been talking to her about her shoes.”
Suzie, who saved Rowena’s life by dialling 999 after the mum went into anaphylactic shock, was among the winners who attended a Downing Street reception yesterday to recognise their remarkable achievements.
And she was not the only one who seized the opportunity to swap fashion tips with Mrs May.
Charity skydiver Dilys Price was keen to talk about her work with disabled people for her Cardiff charity The Touch Trust, but she still found time to admire the Prime Minister’s style.
Special Recognition winner Dilys, in a stylish multi-coloured blouse, said: “We share good dress sense.”
Hours after receiving their awards at Grosvenor House in London, our wonderful winners clutched their trophies as they were ushered through the famous black door of No10.
Mrs May posed for a photo with the group before chatting to each winner as they mingled and tucked into tea and sandwiches. It was not all small talk though. The PM listened to the concerns of the Grenfell community, winners of a Special Recognition award, and praised them for their remarkable response to the tower block inferno in West London that killed an estimated 80 people in June.
Pastor Derrick Wilson, 53, said: “I hope collecting this award means the public will remember what happened at Grenfell is still an ongoing issue.”
It was also an opportunity for survivors of the blaze to meet the firefighters who risked their lives dashing into the tower to rescue residents. The fire crews won the This Morning Emergency Services Award.
Mrs May also chatted with the firefighters before being reunited with Outstanding Bravery award-winning police officers Wayne Marques and Charlie Guenigault, with whom she shared the stage at the awards ceremony. In June, before armed back-up arrived on the scene, the officers protected the public by confronting the armed terrorists who stormed London Bridge.
Of the awards night, Charlie, 25, told her: “It was an emotional night. I definitely had a few teary moments.”
So too did Angela Clark and Michelle Palmer, who met the PM again after she presented them with a posthumous Outstanding Bravery award for their brother PC Keith Palmer, who was killed defending Parliament from terrorist Khalid Masood in March.
Teenager of Courage Moin Younis, who was honoured for helping other children despite suffering from an agonising condition that makes his skin split when touched, could not join the other winners.
But Mrs May shared a laugh with the police officers as they recalled how Moin, 17, cheekily asked England footballers Jamie Vardy and Jermain Defoe what they thought of manager Gareth Southgate – when he was standing right next to them.
It was one of many memories shared by the Pride of Britain winners,