THIS is another category which aims to recognise people’s responses to the pandemic.

The finalists are Lois Brown, Karen Regan and Artwork Creative Communities.

Lois has led the Modality Vaccination campaign - which has included setting up and running three vaccination centres.

Over 70,000 jabs have been administered by Lois and the Modality team, and they were the first in the district to deliver the community based pop-up work, which has since been replicated across the region.

“Lois is hard working and never stops, working all day and weekends to ensure the vaccine clinics are well-run, stocked with vaccines and always with plenty of staff and volunteers”, said a person who nominated her.

“This role is in addition to her managing three general practices in the district. As a wife and mother with two great kids, who have also volunteered at clinics, she is truly a special person deserving recognition.”

Karen is the Clinical Manager at the Patient Recruitment Centre and is an experienced senior research nurse at the Trust.

She has been “instrumental” in the delivery of the vaccine trials in Bradford, said a person who nominated her.

“Not one for the limelight, Karen has led by example and nothing has been too much trouble for her”, they added.

“She is always putting others first and is an advocate for research and research participants, ensuring they are always treated with the utmost respect and care.

“She is an inspiration to all. From July 2020 when the planning started for delivering the trials here in Bradford, Karen was pivotal in overseeing the logistics of how this would all work in a very short timeframe, as the first participant was recruited in October 2020.

“Karen and her team have worked tirelessly to make sure the trials have run efficiently, and as a supportive leader Karen has given nurses and other research staff the confidence to step outside their normal roles.”

Artworks Creative Communities is an arts charity that has been serving Bradford for over 20 years.

It has become one of the leading participatory arts organisations in the region, reducing barriers to engagement through creativity.

A person who nominated them said: “Artworks really values its volunteers and partners and rallied together a ‘Covid Action Team’ to reach out to Bradford families who were experiencing severe isolation due to data poverty.

“Refusing to let Covid be a barrier to those in need, Artworks negotiated with funders to be able to respond to the crisis.

“It started a project called Bundles of Creativity, a signposting booklet for families that contained essential health information for parents and activities for young people. Seven editions were collaboratively made and over 48,000 issues were distributed to families across the district in 10 months, with the help of food banks, volunteers and other community-based services and groups.”

Vote for your favourite here