For these workers - Christmas Day is just another day

Inspector Steve Drayton, of Gwent Police, will be on call from 7am on Christmas Day to 7am on Boxing Day to help people at the point of crisis.

Working from home, he will be keeping close to the phone in case of any breaking incidents.

“I will be at home but at the drop of a hat I could be expected to drop everything to attend an incident,” said Inspector Drayton, who has worked for Gwent Police for 17 years.

“I see it as a privilege because Christmas is a difficult time for a lot of people and it is a privilege to help people through their difficulties.

“The family meal will go ahead, but it is a lottery whether it will have to be reheated.”

Inspector Drayton will be on call alongside Inspector Jason White and eight other hostage and crisis negotiators in the force.

As well as managing crisis situations, they are also trained to resolve firearms incidents peacefully.

They will also be working alongside charities such as Samaritans to help people in distress or at risk of suicide.

Inspector White said he does not view the demands of the job as a ‘chore’.

“It is part and parcel of a police officer’s job to protect life and reassure people,”said Inspector White.

“I would gladly give up all of my Christmas dinners if it meant talking down one person off a bridge.”

Firefighters will also be on call to deal with any breaking incidents such as fires, road crashes and rescue operations.

Emma Atcherley, temporary crew manager based at Malpas Fire Station, Newport, will be at work from 9am to 6pm on Christmas Day.

It will be just like any other day at the fire station, with crews on shift to cover every hour of the day.

Those like Ms Atcherley who are on shift will be celebrating Christmas on Boxing Day, or opening presents with children early in the morning.

“Christmas is a really important time of the year and if something awful happens you want somebody to be there to help you out,” she said.

“That is what we signed up for.”

Ms Atcherley said she will have her Christmas dinner reheated in a microwave when she returns home from work after 6pm.

Alongside the emergency services, volunteers at groups such as Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA) will also be on alert.

Mike Duggan, a member of SARA’s lifeboat crew, will be working on call from home should any incidents occur.

He said: “It could be three o’clock on Christmas morning or it could be Christmas night.

“We have got to ensure we have got that resilience and that response so that we can do the job we are here for.”

Mr Duggan, 31, of Twmpath Road, Pontypool, said he has previously worked as a paramedic at Christmas and that his wife, a nurse, is also often required to be at work.

He added: “People still get ill on Christmas Day and sadly people still die.

“There need to be people in work, be it the emergency services or other essential services. Christmas Day is just another day of the year.

“It’s never brilliant to be away from your family but it is the nature of the job.

“The fact people are willing to give up that time with their family to help others and to support the community is something which should be valued and respected.”

Paramedic Rachel Spracklen, based at Abertillery Emergency Services Station, is used to working over the festive period having started her career with the Welsh Ambulance Service as a call handler nine years ago.

Rachel, who completed her paramedic training at the start of 2017 having progressed from the role of emergency medical technician, said December 25th can often be a busy day for ambulance teams.

For the second year running, the ambulance service has made arrangements to ensure all staff working days can enjoy a Christmas dinner supplied by a local hotel or restaurant.

Rachel said: “I’ll be working from 7am to 7pm on Christmas Day as part of an emergency ambulance crew.

“I quite often work over Christmas, but that’s just the way it falls. I haven’t got any children and I think it’s nicer for people who do have children to have the time off.

“It’s business as usual for us, and in my experience Christmas Eve is usually quieter while everyone’s busy getting things ready.

“It’s Christmas Day where we get quite a few calls out to people with chest pains or collapsing, and sometimes you do get people who have over indulged.

“Because I’m working days, I’ll go home and have my Christmas dinner with my family in the evening and open all my presents. Then I can have a nice long lie in on Boxing Day.”

However it is not just people responding to emergency incidents who will be working this Christmas.

According to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), care workers and home carers were the people who worked the most on Christmas Day, 2014, followed by nurses.

The figures showed 49,000 people in Wales readied their uniforms on Christmas Day in Wales, totalling 3.5 per cent of the country.

This was marginally higher than the average across the UK of 3.3 per cent working on Christmas Day.

Canon Mark Soady, vicar at St Mary’s Priory Church in Abergavenny, said Christmas Day is like his “World Cup final”.

As well as leading the church services, he will spend time visiting people in his parish who may be alone at Christmas.

“The services are key on Christmas Day because there are a lot of people who come to church,” he said.

“It is a bit like my World Cup final and it is my job to make the services as welcoming and accessible as possible.

“There will also be some people who are alone this Christmas. I will also spend time going to visit them and trying to bring some light into the darkness of their lives.”

Staff at Blaina Wharf pub in Newport will also be at work on Christmas Day, with bookings all filled at the pub.

For general manager Tom Grey, who took over in September, it will be the 13th Christmas Day in a row that he has worked.

“I am used to it now. I is something that has got to be done,” said Mr Grey.

He said he celebrates Christmas with his family on Boxing Day.

The pub will be open from 7am to 7pm, with takings of around £20,000 expected in the day.

Head chef Lisa Phelps will be among around 30 staff working at the pub to serve up Christmas dinner.

Paramedic Rachel Spracklen, based at Abertillery Emergency Services Station, is used to working over the festive period having started her career with the Welsh Ambulance Service as a call handler nine years ago.

Rachel, who completed her paramedic training at the start of 2017 having progressed from the role of emergency medical technician, said December 25th can often be a busy day for ambulance teams.

For the second year running, the ambulance service has made arrangements to ensure all staff working days can enjoy a Christmas dinner supplied by a local hotel or restaurant.

Rachel said: “I’ll be working from 7am to 7pm on Christmas Day as part of an emergency ambulance crew.

“I quite often work over Christmas, but that’s just the way it falls. I haven’t got any children and I think it’s nicer for people who do have children to have the time off.

“It’s business as usual for us, and in my experience Christmas Eve is usually quieter while everyone’s busy getting things ready.

“It’s Christmas Day where we get quite a few calls out to people with chest pains or collapsing, and sometimes you do get people who have over indulged.

“Because I’m working days, I’ll go home and have my Christmas dinner with my family in the evening and open all my presents. Then I can have a nice long lie in on Boxing Day.”

The Welsh Ambulance Service is encouraging members of the public to choose well and use the service appropriately during the festive period, so that they can reach those in urgent need of care.

Alternative services available include your GP, GP Out of Hours, nearest pharmacy or Minor Injuries Unit. You can also call NHS Direct Wales on 0845 46 47 for health advice 24 hours a day, or dial 111 in the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board and Carmarthenshire areas.