Legion stalwart handed MBE
ON Tuesday (March 14), Pamela Twissell-Cross, Royal British Legion (RBL) district community support coordinator Spain North, was awarded an MBE for ‘services for overseas veterans’ by Ambassador Hugh Elliott.
Most of Pamela’s professional life has been in nursing and she served in the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps.
She moved to Alicante in 2010 and joined the Alicante branch of the RBL where she signed up to become a case worker the following year.
A case worker attends to veterans requesting help, and involves visiting them, investigating their needs and if the RBL can provide it, helping with documentation required to apply for funding. She also has the authority to issue immediate crisis funding if required. Over the last year her team assisted over a thousand veterans, in addition to visiting a further 200 in hospital or housebound veterans – surprisingly the average age of beneficiaries is just 61.
She works very closely with the British consulate and was notified in November 2021 of her award, called personally by the Ambassador who asked if she would be happy to accept it.
She had the option of going to Windsor for the investiture from HRH King Charles III but instead opted to receive it here in Spain, as this is where her home, friends and all those she volunteers with are.
Speaking to Costa Blanca News, Pamela said she was ‘absolutely overwhelmed with pride’ and that her only wish was that ‘her parents could have been there to witness it’. She thanked the whole team she works with, who all have different roles helping veterans.
She was allowed to invite 20 guests to the ceremony, including friend Judith who she met when she was serving and has known since 1976, and Rachel the case work services manager who she reports to in the UK, who both flew over for the occasion, and district chairman Jack Kemp.
The certificate was one of the last signed by the late monarch, HM Queen Elizabeth II so all the more memorable.
For any veterans who may need assistance, Pamela is available on 676 451 780 or email at ptwissell-cross@ britishlegion.org.uk