My primary role involved working at various military base checkpoints ensuring military personnel and civilians had access only to areas to which they are allowed. In my final year working at RIAT, I became a supervisor and was invited to be part of the VIP security team for various military officers. Here, I liaised with their Head of Security to establish their requirements and ensured that these were met.

I dealt with confirmed or highly suspected COVID sufferers who needed to be assessed by a doctor and potentially hospitalised. My responsibilities included being the first point of contact when patients arrived at the surgery, reassuring patients who were understandably nervous and frightened as best as I could and gently informing them of the rules and where they needed to go. There were often cases where patients were seriously unwell and it was vital that I was able to communicate with the doctor and ambulance staff in a calm, accurate and efficient manner. I explained to family members what was happening as they were not allowed into the surgery or the ambulance due to social distancing measures – something many found challenging.

In addition to my academic studies, I am a very keen rower and trained alongside the GB World Class Start programme which was aligned with Welsh Rowing. This is an elite rowing programme that trains and develops potential athletes for the GB Rowing Team. The programme enabled me to access world-class coaches and facilities to support my training. During my time with Welsh Rowing, I became a UKAD Anti-Doping Advisor.