The evening was opened by chief executive Aidan Thomas, who highlighted the amazing work staff do, including the ongoing Radical Pathway Redesign programme, a quality-focused initiative in response to national spending restrictions.

He said: “The awards are a chance to say a big ‘thank you’ to our staff who go the extra mile for the Trust to provide high quality services. As a Trust we are dedicate to helping staff reach their full potential, and events such as this are a big part of recognising when that happens. 

“The event itself was a lovely occasion. We were very lucky that the torrential rain decided to move aside for the evening to reveal an absolutely beautiful blue sky for our outdoor barbecue. Everyone had a great time, and my congratulations go again to our deserving winners.”

The awards were hosted by ITV Anglia Tonight’s Becky Jago, who was introduced on stage by chair of the Trust Maggie Wheeler, and were funded through sponsorship from external companies that we frequently work with:

Maggie Wheeler said: “This is our first event since we merged with our Suffolk neighbours, and it was great to welcome old and new colleagues. In these difficult times for the NHS it was a real pleasure to hold an event where people could enjoy themselves, and have their hard work acknowledged”