Trust duo honoured in King’s New Year Honours List
Northern Trust staff were among those honoured in the King’s New Year Honours List. Congratulations to Cathy McCoy and Lorraine Gibson who were both awarded the British Empire Medal.
Cathy has volunteered with homeless not for profit organisation, Reaching Out Homeless and Community Support, for over five years. Cathy is part of a team who work out of four tables at the bottom of Tomb street in Belfast every Monday evening in all weathers.
Cathy was delighted to receive her BEM and said: “I am very humbled to receive this award as what I do is very small in comparison to others. I accepted this award on behalf of all small groups of people trying to make a difference to people’s lives.
“Our service provides a hot home cooked meal, sausage and chips from a local chip shop and selection of sandwiches, biscuits, cake, tea and coffee.
“When leaving the table the service users receive a treat bag of water, biscuits and fruit. We provide clothes, warm coats, sleeping bags and toiletries and we never turn anyone away.
“On special occasions our group will provide Easter eggs etc and at Christmas we had a Christmas party with dinner and Christmas treat bags.
“Our group also provides an outreach programme which supports service users who are unable to get to the table and a food bank for those people in the community on a low income who require Christmas toys for their children and or food hampers.
“In our emergency department I never really get the chance to sit down and chat to these people who are usually on the fringes of our society but at the table I can get to know them and understand their troubles which I believe in turn makes me a better nurse.
“There are definitely times that I get more back than I put in. It can be a sad lonely existence living on the streets and most homeless people just enjoy someone to chat to, so please just don’t walk past stop a minute and pass the time of day because in the words of Ed Sheeran “the worst things in life come free to them.”
Lorraine who is a Nurse, Social Worker and Area Manager with the Trust, received her award in recognition of her services to Older People with Dementia, and adults with Learning Disabilities.
Lorraine is deeply honoured and humbled to receive her award and said: “This recognition means so much to me, not just as an individual, but as a professional dedicated to nursing and social work, both prior to my retirement and continuing to this day. Throughout my career, I have always been driven by the desire to make a difference in the lives of others, and this recognition affirms the value of that work.
“I am incredibly grateful to the communities I’ve had the privilege to serve, and to the colleagues, mentors, and teams who have supported me along the way, both within & outside of the Northern Trust.
“Nursing and Social Work are collaborative fields, and this award is as much a reflection of their collective efforts as it is of my own.
“It has been uplifting for me to work alongside partner agencies, and together with the joint efforts of stakeholders, I believe is a powerful approach to achieving comprehensive, sustainable and an inclusive approach for improvements in service delivery.
“I will be forever grateful for the trust placed in me, by the Trust’s Senior Management Team and my colleagues. Being named and recognised for this notable accolade, is a powerful motivator, especially when it inspires a desire to give back and make a positive impact”.
In recognition of a remarkable career dedicated to improving the lives of others, Lorraine has been a pillar of the health and social care community, where she led impactful initiatives that transformed local care services.
Following her retirement, she answered the call during the Covid-19 Pandemic to work as a vaccinator which she continues to do for housebound patients.
Lorraine is also a Panel Member for the Mental Capacity Team and works as a Community Discharge Coordinator for the Trust.
One of Lorraine’s crowning achievements was her leadership in the development of innovative supported living facilities for older people within the Trust. From inception to completion, her dedication ensured these facilities met the highest standards, promoting dignity and independence of older people’s lives. Lorraine acknowledged in her statement, the support & expertise from various agencies, both working in partnership and recognising her potential.
In addition to her hands-on work in healthcare, Lorraine was a respected academic, teaching Student Social Workers in their Professional journey at Queens University Belfast, as well as playing an instrumental role in encouraging non-professional staff to pursue vocational certification, raising standards across the Trust sector.
As a founder member of the first local Junior Gateway Club, Lorraine secured funding from The Prince’s Trust, helping to establish a space for young people with learning disabilities to thrive and engage with their community.
Throughout her career, Lorraine has also given back to the community as a Hospice Nurse, fundraiser, and a tireless supporter of numerous local charities, including the NI Hospice, Children’s Hospice, RAFA, the Local Rotary Club, and Action Cancer.
As well as achieving career milestones into her later years, which now spans over 43 years, Lorraine continues to champion causes close to her heart, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to improving the lives of those most in need.
Lorraine’s unwavering dedication and tireless work have left a lasting legacy, shaping not only the lives of those she directly helped, but also inspiring her Children, Grandchildren & others to follow in her footsteps.

6th January 2025