Stars of Herts Awards
Hundreds of NHS workers and volunteers were celebrated for their outstanding care and dedication to patients during an emotional awards night at Watford Palace Theatre.
Around 600 staff members from West Herts Teaching Hospitals packed into the historic venue for the Star of Herts, which recognises both individuals and teams who have worked tirelessly to improve care and service across the Trust’s hospitals.
Watford FC captain Mattie Pollock, local MPs Matt Turmaine and Gagan Mohindri, along with Mayor of Watford Peter Taylor, and the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire Robert Voss, were amongst the high-profile public figures who attended the event.
A record 869 nominations were submitted by staff members this year – which meant selecting winners for the 17 awards handed out on the night was harder than ever.
Among the evening’s most memorable moments was for unsung hero, porter Nico Perugini who won support worker of the year. For 28 years, Nico has been a trusted and much-loved presence in the Emergency Department, providing exceptional support to patients, colleagues and clinical teams.
The judges praised Nico for his “compassion, positivity and unwavering dedication, he goes above and beyond every day to make patients feel at ease and support staff during challenging times.”
He was greeted as he walked on stage to a football style chant of ‘Nico, Nico’ from the audience.
The Emergency Department were meanwhile named ‘Team of the Year, after eliminating corridor care and establishing Watford General as one of the Top 5 best in the country for A&E waiting times.
A special 'Hidden Heroes' award was given to the Estates Team in recognition of the work they do to fix problems, deal with complex maintenance issues and keep the Trust’s services up and running.
Tracy Miller, Deteriorating Patient Team Lead, was crowned Inspirational Colleague of the Year for her kindness and grace and for being a true inspiration to everyone she works with.
Tracy was credited for balancing her demanding roles with enthusiasm, compassion and unwavering dedication. She empowers people to grow, support development opportunities and create an environment where everyone feels valued and heard, all of which has made a lasting impact across the Trust.
Trust chair, Catherine Dugmore, who hosted the awards with chief medical officer, Mike Van Der Watt, said: “The Stars of Herts awards are a chance to celebrate our incredible colleagues and thank them for the dedication, compassion, teamwork and resilience they show every day.
“Whether working on the front line or behind the scenes, their commitment makes an extraordinary difference to our patients, their families and each other, and represents West Herts at its very best.”
Earlier in the evening a special video message was played from celebrities paying tribute to West Herts NHS staff – including Watford FC legend Luther Blissett and former Arsenal player Kelly Smith, broadcasters Naga Munchetty and Rob Rinder, along with comedian Matt Lucas.
Community leaders, and partners from across Hertfordshire also joined the celebrations.
The event was made possible through the generosity of sponsors including Atos, Vinci Building, Crown Security Solutions, Hygiene Contracts Ltd, Medirest, Watford FC and Ramboll.