At the beginning of the year Witney Town Council launched its Covid-19 Witney Hero Awards to help recognise individuals, organisations and businesses in the town who responded to the Covid-19 pandemic with dedication and hard work in the community.

And on Friday, June 4, Ward Sister Helen Moir from the Wenrisc Ward nursing team at Witney Community Hospital received a letter from the town clerk Sharon Growth and Cllr Joy Aitman, Mayor of Witney:

“Following a nomination, I am delighted to say that your organisation has been awarded the accolade of a Covid-19 Witney Hero. The reasons stated in the nomination are:

“These healthcare professionals looked after my mother just as the first wave hit the country. I believe how they dealt with an outbreak on their ward was nothing short of heroic. They put their patients’ safety above everything. We cannot thank them enough.”

The letter concludes: “On behalf of Witney Town Council, thank you for doing extraordinary things that have had an immediate, positive and tangible impact on the morale and wellbeing of others in Witney. Assistance for community, no matter how big or small, is worthy of an accolade.”

Helen Moir said:

“The ward were thrilled to receive this as we have had a particularly hard year. All appreciation is gratefully received.”

Service Director Emma Leaver said:

“I am really thrilled that the team at Wenrisc Ward, Witney Community Hospital, have received the Covid-19 Witney Hero Award and delighted that the nomination came from a relative who recognised the care that our staff delivered.

“It’s fair to say that staff across all our community hospital wards were understandably frightened, as we all were, at the start of the pandemic, and yet they continued to deliver the best possible care they could to our patients, despite their own fears. This award is well deserved. Well done team Wenrisc!”