TODAY the Daily Echo is launching its bid to track down the most dedicated unsung hero of Southampton’s hospitals.

The Hospital Heroes campaign will celebrate those who put everything they have into their work and go the extra mile to care for the people of the city.

Whether it’s a doctor, nurse, receptionist or porter, we want to hear about who has made a difference to you.

Readers can nominate anyone employed by University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust which runs Southampton General Hospital the Princess Anne Hospital and Countess Mountbatten House, as well as some services at the Royal South Hants Hospital.

More than 300 people were in attendance at St Mary’s Stadium last year to celebrate the tenth year of the awards, with the Readers’ Choice prize won by Lisa Leppard, who has been a family care sister and neonatal specialist nurse for more than 25 years. Runners up included Jose Horno, a respiratory specialist and Kay Duggan, a midwife who had worked at the Princess Anne Hospital for 41 years before retirement in 2016.

Chief operating officer of the trust, Dr Caroline Marshall, said: “The annual Hospital Heroes awards is a fantastic way of recognising the amazing work that our staff carry out on a daily basis.

“The Daily Echo’s Readers’ Choice Award is an incredibly important category as it gives people the chance to share their own personal experiences of interacting with our staff and let others know about times where staff have gone that extra mile.

“We are very excited to hear readers’ stories and look forward to celebrating staff achievements at the ceremony later this year.”

This year’s ceremony will be held next month at St Mary’s stadium on March 23. The category for Readers’ Choice comes as part of 15 prizes to be won on the night.

To nominate, email aaron.shaw@dailyecho.co.uk, call 02380 424538 or write to Aaron Shaw, Southern Daily Echo, Newspaper House, Test Lane, Redbridge, Southampton, SO16 9JX.