A PORTER at Jersey’s General Hospital has been named International Porter of the Year.
Robin Boleat, who has worked at the Hospital for nearly 18 years, received the award at the My Porters Awards after being nominated by his colleagues.
“It actually came as a little bit of a shock,” Mr Boleat told the JEP. “I was astonished but perfectly happy being shortlisted. I thought that was just brilliant. I was telling everybody.
“Then I found out I had actually won. It wasn’t just Porter of the Year – it was International Porter of the Year, which sounds very grand.”
He continued: “I feel a little guilty, because I’m winning an award for doing my job, but it’s really for all of us in the portering department.
“This is recognition for the whole team and the Hospital on a bigger stage.”
As a porter, Mr Boleat transports patients on beds, trolleys and wheelchairs throughout the Hospital, helping move patients from trolleys to beds, carrying equipment and assisting with security when needed.
“The Hospital is a very large site spread over several buildings, and we help keep everything moving,” the international award winner explained.
“You can’t spare doctors and nurses to move people. So that’s where the porter department comes in.”
Mr Boleat, who worked in retail for decades before switching roles due to changes in the industry, said that his position had provided many meaningful moments over his career.
“Sometimes you’re there to reassure someone about the treatment they’re having, or tell them you think they’re doing well or they’re going to be all right,” he said.
He recalled a particularly touching moment when a woman he had comforted after a miscarriage returned years later with three children to thank him for his kindness that day.
“It’s moments like that when you realise you’ve made a difference,” he said.
For those considering a career as a hospital porter, he offered some advice: “You have to be kind, take an interest in people and want to help.
“It’s not about chasing targets or sales like in retail – it’s about doing that little bit extra for someone else. It’s a very rewarding job.”
When asked whether he had a message to share or if there was anything he wanted to add,
Mr Boleat shared an unexpected piece of advice: “I push a lot of people in wheelchairs, and I see the top of their heads. And when people get to my age, the sun damage I see is extraordinary. If you’re out in the sun, wear a hat. My father worked outside for years and always wore one, and his head was fine.”
