A hospitality student from West Nottinghamshire College joined police officers and community heroes on stage to receive formal recognition for an act of compassion.

Harvey Clipston, of Kirkby, received a Chief Constable’s Commendation in the Nottinghamshire Police Force Awards event, after coming to the aid of an elderly lady in distress.

The student had been on his way home after helping a neighbour, when he saw a lady in her 70s sitting on a wall who seemed to be unwell.

POLICE, AWARDS CEROMONY, FHQ, 21 Nov 2023, Photo Credit Chris Holloway, The Bigger Picture.media, Tel 07946143859

Seventeen-year-old Harvey said: “The lady looked like she was struggling to breathe so I decided to stop and spoke to her. Then she fell backwards into the garden and went into cardiac arrest.”

He quickly used first aid skills learned at school some years earlier, putting the lady on her side and clearing her airways. Harvey then ran and knocked on the door of a house adjacent to where the lady had fallen.

Harvey said: “I learned CPR at school and I’ve always remembered it. Turning her on to her side was the first thing I thought to do, taking care to cushion her head. I then performed CPR until the ambulance came.”

Throughout the ordeal Harvey was determined to remain by the lady’s side, saying: “I wanted to stay with her as I didn’t want to think of her being alone. To know I’d tried to help was very important.”

It was because of this that Harvey was nominated for a Chief Constable’s Commendation, which was presented at the Nottinghamshire Police Force Awards.

The awards recognised 30 officers who have gone above and beyond to help make Nottinghamshire a safer place to live, work, and visit.

Six members of the public, including Harvey, also received commendations for showing bravery and heroism in emergency situations.
Chief Superintendent Sukesh Verma, who presented the awards, told the audience: “For a 17-year-old, Harvey displayed compassion far beyond his years and it is clear he has a deep, caring nature.

“He had his own life to live and a home to get to after work, but he was aware that someone was in need and stood up as member of the community.

“He came to a complete stranger’s aid and, for that, is fully deserving of this commendation.”

After receiving the award, Harvey said: “It felt strange hearing my story being told and going up on stage, but equally it felt good because I have achieved something I never thought I would.

“I felt proud to have my fiancé, mum, and auntie with me on the night and I won’t ever forget this incident and being able to comfort the lady in her final moments.”

A few weeks after the incident, Harvey was contacted by the lady’s family.

Harvey said: “The lady’s cousins wanted to thank me for my efforts in staying with her and they took me for a meal. I met her cousins, nephew and his partner.

“I was also asked to attend the funeral back in May, which I went to, to pay my respects.”

Helen Wilcockson, head of the college’s health, care and service industries curriculum, said: “When I found out what Harvey had gone through it didn’t surprise me that he’d been nominated for this award.

“He always presents himself as a caring and kind person and as a team we were all so proud of what he had tried to do and we’re so proud of his own personal strength to deal with the emotions afterwards.”