A volunteer guide, described by colleagues as “an absolute legend” around Bradford Royal Infirmary , was yesterday named Volunteer of the Year.

Eighty-seven-year-old Gerry Briscoe, of the Friends of BRI, was honoured at a thank-you ceremony held at the Hilton Hotel, Bradford, for his unstinting work at the hospital over the last 23 years, Awards were also given out to 43 volunteers with five, ten, 15 and 20 years’ service at the event, hosted by Bradford Hospitals Trust chairman David Richardson and chief executive Bryan Millar.

Mr Briscoe, a volunteer guide in the Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) department, also organises the rota for the 12 ENT guides and has, until recently, served as a committee member of the Friends of the BRI.

In what is left of his spare time he has raised countless funds for the charity alongside his wife Jean who also works as a volunteer in the ENT tea bar.

Friends’ chairman Trevor Constantine, who nominated Mr Briscoe, said: “Gerry is an absolute legend around the hospital. His efforts over the last decades have been truly amazing and he is a worthy winner of this year’s award. He is an inspiration to us all.”

Runner-up went to St Luke’s volunteer guide Brian O’Neil, who works in the Horton Wing outpatients’ department and was nominated by Sister Linda Curtis and Sister Susan Joynes. They said his help with capturing patient feedback had enabled the department to “monitor standards and identify where improvements could be made.”

Joint third place went to Alison Hudson, a volunteer at the department of diabetes and endocrinology at the BRI and Jo Davanna, a volunteer with the Elizabeth Foundation.

Alison was nominated by specialist endocrine nurse Dianne Wright, who said: “She is always bright and breezy and a pleasure to work with.”

Jo was nominated by Elizabeth Foundation centre manager Margaret Southern, who said: “Jo is able to turn her hand to almost anything, from cleaning the toilets to making puppets, helping parents to organise fun days and other fundraising events. She enhances the work of The Elizabeth Foundation in supporting families to come to terms with their child’s deafness. Her support has been invaluable.”