The King and I - Mike's MBE a reward for volunteer service

PICTURED: Mike Walters receiving his MBE from King Charles.

By day he works for an organisation that saves lives - by night he helps saves lives himself. Mike Walters can even claim to be on first-name terms with King Charles.

Mike has spent the last three decades working within Swansea Bay University Health Board’s estates department, with the variety of the job ensuring no shift is the same.

Working within the maintenance team, Mike’s to-do list can include anything from unclogging drains and building new departments to removing inches of water from corridors following a leak and coming to the aid of staff who have lost keys.

Once his shift is over in Morriston Hospital, he’s on emergency duty himself in his role as a volunteer for Loughor Inshore Lifeboat – a position he’s held for almost 45 years, and has led to royal recognition and meeting King Charles.

PICTURED: Mike is part of the estates team's maintenance department.

Fair to say that Mike has crammed a lot into his role as he approaches his 60^th birthday.

Mike said: “It’s a really interesting job and I find that no day is the same in terms of what I do.

“There’s never a dull moment because we have such a big estate and there’s always a service that needs our help.”

Reflecting on his 31 years with Swansea Bay, memories quickly come flooding back of some unexpected calls for the team’s expertise.

Mike said: “A few years ago we had a big water leak outside Ward A and B in Morriston’s main corridor. I was walking up the corridor and saw tiles getting damp and they started dropping.

“A water pipe had burst and there were two inches of hot water in the corridor, so we had to stop patients and visitors entering that area and I was brushing the water outside as quickly as I could.

“We also had a fire in Morriston’s main entrance 20 or so years ago. There was an electrical problem in the porters’ lodge near the shop and the public were still trying to get in there despite the fire – so we had to act really quickly to sort that out before bringing it back to what it was before.”

Highlights of Mike’s health board career so far include helping build the Coronary Care Unit in Morriston and knowing his role – despite not being clinical – is an important part of the health board’s ability to deliver care.

PICTURED: Mike during a call out with Loughor Inshore Lifeboat.

One particular job, though, stands out.

“When the Covid pandemic happened, it was really challenging,” Mike explained.

“I was called to the Intensive Therapy Unit to help set up the wards as it had spread to Wales.

“I remember coming out after completing the work and not thinking anything of it. I caught Covid and I was extremely ill!

“Like it was for most people, that time was really tough but we were really determined to do what we could to ensure clinical staff were best prepared to give the care that patients needed.”

Once he’s clocked off in Morriston Hospital, Mike’s mind quickly switches to saving people in trouble within the Loughor Estuary.

He may not even make the journey home to Llanelli before he is called out to a “shout” to launch from Loughor Boating Club.

The volunteer role is something that has been engrained in him since he was a teenager.

Mike added: “I have been with the lifeboat since I was 15 and I went out on my first call at that age. I was on the boat all night and did my paper round that morning before going to school.

“It’s been a big part of my life and I’ve loved doing it because you know you are going out to save lives, in some cases, and that has a massive impact on that person and their family and friends.”

PICTURED: Mike with his MBE in Windsor Castle.

His service to the community did not go unrecognised, with Mike named in the New Year's Honours List in 2022.

Due to Covid, he wouldn’t meet the Queen as King Charles was coronated by the time his MBE was finally awarded in Windsor Castle in 2023.

It was not the first time he had met the King.

Mike said: “As part of Swansea’s 50-year anniversary as a city, I was invited to an event where the King was attending. He was very approachable and full of knowledge – he even said “alright Mike, how’s the lifeboat going?’ Someone must have given him my background!

“Then I met him again when I received the MBE, which was such a proud moment.

“Some of my colleagues call me sir now, but they don’t always curtsy!”