The Veteran Issue 5

Pamela Twissell - Cross with the Mayor of Castalla, Don
Antionio Bernabeu at the unveiling of the Remembrance
Memorial in Castalla International last year
New Years
Honours
Pamela Sheila Twissell-Cross, District
Community Support Coordinator, Royal
British Legion, Spain (District North) and
Alicante Branch Member has been awarded an
MBE for services to British nationals overseas.
Pamela was named in the New Year Honours
List, published on Saturday 1 January 2022.
After retiring to Spain having completed a long
career in the NHS, Pamela Twissell-Cross
became involved with the Royal British Legion
as a welfare volunteer caseworker in 2011,
becoming District Community Support
Coordinator three years later.
Despite being voluntary, the role is almost full
time –coordinating all the welfare work for an
area spanning the France/Spain border right
down to Almeria, including the Balearic Islands.
Pamela works unstintingly to identify potential
beneficiaries, make them aware of the support
that the RBL can provide,
Pamela Twissell-Cross
District Community Support
Coordinator,
Royal British Legion,
Spain (District North)
has been awarded an MBE for
services to British nationals
overseas
and ensure they get the support they need.
In 2020, Pamela and her team assisted 569
people, with 342 receiving advice and
signposting, and the remaining 227
receiving further RBL support.
The British Ambassador to Spain, Hugh
Elliott said: “As with most voluntary
organisations, the COVID-19 pandemic has
added to the RBL’s workload and, as their
Patron in Spain, I know how busy Pamela
has been over the past two years,
managing and supporting an increasing
number of calls to the helpline. This honour
is very richly deserved.”
On hearing of the award Pam said: "I feel
very honoured to be nominated for this
honour, let alone chosen. It was a complete
surprise and probably the most wonderful
surprise I have ever had. I do wish my
parents were still here to see it."
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