A special service of thanks was held in Carlisle to say thank you to dedicated hospital staff and volunteers.

Monday night's event, in Carlisle Cathedral, was entitled Small Acts of Kindness and was designed to pay tribute to the hard work and dedication of those working with and for North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust.

The trust runs both Carlisle's Cumberland Infirmary and the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.

It was organised by the infirmary’s Chaplin Annie Gray, who sees daily the hard work and dedication of the trust’s employees and volunteers and wanted a way to say thank you for going above and beyond.

The service was attended by about 100 people.

Among those singled out for recognition was Rachel Kirkham, ward clerk on Beech C/D at the infirmary, who was highlighted as a 'Glimpse of Brilliance'.

Rachel stayed behind at the end of her shift to take the wife of a dying man home at 2am so she could retrieve the phone numbers of her sons.

The ward clerk then brought the woman back to the ward and stayed with her until her sons arrived, so they could be together when he died.

The service also featured testimonies from two of the trust’s former patients, including a 90-year-old man who spoke emotionally about how the trust had helped him after he suffered a stroke which left him paralysed down one side.

The man is now able to walk and live independently at home thanks to the care of all the staff at the Cumberland Infirmary.

Another former patient talked of the care and compassion shown to her from all of the staff.

She explained how a previous minor surgery, at another hospital, had left her very ill and so she was very worried when she needed another operation.

The woman explained her anxieties to the staff and a care plan was put in place which made sure she was well looked after and guided through the process.

She said the experience couldn’t have been better and she was home without the need for further treatment.

Christine Brereton, human resources director at the trust, said: “This service was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the excellent work of our staff and volunteers.

"It was a real honour to be able to attend and to hear such moving testimony from our patients.”

The address was led by the Bishop of Carlisle, The Rt Revd James Newcome, while prayers were led by Rev Gray.