Saturday, 12 June 2010
Embargoed until 00.01hrs

MBE HONOUR FOR WICKER MAN

Martin Bennett, managing director of Associated Chemists (Wicker) Ltd was awarded an MBE today in the Queen's Birthday Honours list for "services to pharmacy".

Martin was born in Sheffield and educated initially at Tinsley infant and Junior Schools before moving to Woodhouse Grammar School. From there he went on to study pharmacy at Bradford University prior to working as a pharmacist at the old Royal Hospital, followed by positions in community pharmacies in Jersey and in Wales. He returned to the city in 1973 to take up his current position.

Martin commented "This is a great honour for me personally, but it should also be seen as recognition for the team at the Wicker and for my family, all of whom have been instrumental in enabling us to develop the Wicker Pharmacy and the Wicker Mobility Shop as centres of excellence."

The Wicker Pharmacy opened in 1952 and has been providing an extended hours pharmacy service every day since. Five years ago, faced with a compulsory purchase order relating to the new ring road, the company relocated sideways investing over £1m in an award winning state-of-the-art design which includes a robotic dispensing unit. Shortly after the work was completed came the 2007 flood. This caused major problems but the pharmacy remained open and the damage was repaired.

Martin was awarded the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's Silver Medal in 2004 and received the Community Pharmacist of the Year award in 2006.

Martin was instrumental in setting up the pioneering Coordinated Pharmacy Services for Drug Users in Sheffield, which was adopted in many other areas after Sheffield's success.

He is about to celebrate his 63rd birthday but has no plans for retirement. He went on to say "Despite the recession, we are working hard to provide even better services for our patients and I'm looking forward to the Wicker Pharmacy and Mobility Shop continuing to be at the leading edge of developments. It's an exciting time".

For further information please contact Wicker Pharmacy
e-mail: press@wicker.co.uk
telephone : 0114 272 7676