Coronation Street star Anthony Cotton launches Unsung Hero Awards at Alder Hey
Coronation Street star Antony Cotton launched the search for the Unsung Heroes of the NHS at Alder Hey Children's Hospital.
Volunteer Enid Dunn - mum of the actor who plays Sean Tully in Corrie - was recognised with an Unsung Hero Award for her contribution in 2016.
And she is urging people to honour the hidden stars of their local health services - just like she was.
Nominations are open for the fifth national annual Awards, which honour non-medical workers and volunteers in the NHS - and staff and patients at the world-famous Liverpool children's hospital gave a warm welcome to an Unsung Hero Awards 2019 roadshow.
Former dressmaker Enid, still an active volunteer at 73, designs and makes beautiful, colourful fabric bags to discreetly carry the drain many breast patients are fitted with when they are discharged from hospital.
Explaining the benefits of the Awards, Enid, from Bolton, said: “It means you're not just under the radar, you're lifted up - to be proud. Just for a moment you can think, I'm proud of myself thank you very much."
Alder Hey ambassador Chris Brown, a former Alder Hey patient who now works as as a concierge and volunteers two days a week, cut the ceremonial ribbon on this year's event and said: “It was a real privilege.”
Unsung Hero Awards organiser Tracy Scott said: "We had a great time chatting with staff and patients and hearing some really heart-warming stories about the work people do here.
"We know the doctors and nurses do brilliant, life-saving work. But the NHS could not function without a whole host of other employees and volunteers and these national awards are to give credit to deserving people who make a real difference, but aren't always heralded."
NHS staff and management, patients and members of the public can nominate candidates who they believe deserve recognition for their commitment.
The Awards are for non-medical NHS staff and volunteers across the country and the aim is to shine a light on individuals and teams who can be overlooked, despite non-medical employees making up nearly half of the workforce.
From IT developers to HR staff, administrative assistants to speech therapists, porters to kitchen staff – all non-medical roles within the NHS are represented by the Unsung Hero Awards.
The 2019 Awards will take place at the Hilton Deansgate, Manchester on March 1.
Nominate a candidate or team of candidates free of charge at www.unsungheroawards.com
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