Gill and Graeme Clark have been recognised following the death of their daughter, Alice Clark, a 21-year-old paramedic from Kent who was killed in the line of duty.
Ms Clark died on January 5, 2022, when the ambulance she was travelling in collided with a cement lorry on the A21 near Sevenoaks.
Her parents were awarded the Elizabeth Emblem, a national honour established in March 2024 by King Charles III to recognise the next of kin of public servants who die in the line of duty.
The parents of a young paramedic have been honoured at Downing Street for their daughter’s service.
Gill and Graeme Clark, from Kent, were invited to Number 10 on Wednesday (January 14) to receive the Elizabeth Emblem on behalf of their daughter.
Mrs Clark said: “There was a knock on the door to say that she had been killed.
“She was doing the job we knew she wanted to do.”
The Elizabeth Emblem is a new national honour, introduced in March 2024, that recognises the families of UK public servants who have lost their lives while carrying out their duties.
It is the civilian equivalent of the Elizabeth Cross, which is awarded to the families of members of the UK Armed Forces who die in service or as a result of terrorism.
Alice Clark, a newly qualified paramedic with the South East Coast Ambulance Service, was killed when the ambulance she was travelling in collided with a cement lorry on the A21 near Sevenoaks.
Her father, Graeme Clark, said: “She was doing the job we knew she wanted to do.
“She was originally looking to be a doctor… but decided she wanted to be on the front line.
“She loved her job, loved life and loved helping people.”
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Alice worked as a carer and completed a placement with the London Ambulance Service.
Her mother, Gill Clark, said: “She was so dedicated. She was funny, adventurous, brave.”
During the pandemic, Ms Clark worked as a carer and completed a placement with the London Ambulance Service before qualifying as a paramedic with the South East Coast Ambulance Service.
Her father said: “She was originally looking to be a doctor, but decided she wanted to be on the front line.
“She loved her job, loved life and loved helping people.”
A coroner later found that the ambulance service had failed to properly investigate complaints about the driver of the ambulance, who pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.
The Clarks met the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Darren Jones, at 10 Downing Street during a reception for families of Elizabeth Emblem recipients.
Mr Clark said: “It’s an amazing honour for her.”
She said: “She was so dedicated.
“She was funny, adventurous, brave.
“She liked to travel, even on her own.
“As soon as you could fly again, she was off.
“We’ve gone through so much to get here, with the court case, coroner’s court.
“Dealing with all the horrible stuff on top of losing Alice.
“To have this, and to have her recognised…”
The Clarks will receive a silver, oval-shaped emblem inscribed with the words ‘For a life given in service,’ surrounded by a rosemary wreath and topped with a Tudor crown.
Ms Clark’s name will be inscribed on the reverse of the emblem.
The Downing Street reception also included the families of other public servants who died while serving their communities.
Among those honoured was the family of lollipop lady Stephanie Davies, who was killed in 2006 when a bus mounted the pavement outside a primary school.
Also attending were relatives of Jonathan White, a council worker from Blackpool who died in a workplace accident on Christmas Day in 1986 while putting up festive street lights.
Mr White fell 30 feet from a platform and was fatally injured.
An inquest later ruled the death accidental, and the council accepted liability.
The Elizabeth Emblem was established in March 2024 to recognise the sacrifice of public servants across the UK who lose their lives in the line of duty.
This month marks the publication of the third list of recipients, which includes 53 public servants from across the country.
Her father has said: “She loved her job, loved life, and loved helping people.”
