Colleagues have paid tribute to a Sunderland Royal Hospital porter who kept working despite the loss of his wife and having to care for his son who has complex needs.
Keith Bellfield was awarded the Dennis Southern Award at the MyPorter awards this year in recognition of his dedication and kindness and "vast knowledge". The award is named after a former Northumbria Healthcare porter Dennis Southern - who died in 2021.
After both Keith and the Southern family were unable to attend the awards, the firm - GV Healthcare - which organises them arranged for him and his son Christopher to meet Dennis' wife Jan and son Barry for lunch to receive the award.
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Keith has been an NHS hospital porter for 35 years, but when his wife Angela - who also worked at Sunderland Royal - died of lung cancer, he thought he'd have to give up the job to find the time to care for his son. However, instead his managers were able to find him a different portering role which enabled him to balance this.
Asked what receiving the award meant, he said: "As I see it, I just get on with the job, it's what I've always done. I was taken aback when I was told I'd been put forward for the award, I don't like a fuss, but then I was told I had won. It was a great honour to be given it, especially given its links to Dennis who was obviously very good at his job.
"It was nice to be able to meet Jan and have lunch, she's said some very kind words and the award is a nice way for her and her family to remember Dennis."
Jan said the meeting had brought a tear to her eye. She said: "It was really nice to meet Keith – having heard why he was nominated and about the personal loss he has also suffered, I believe he is a very worthy winner of an award named in my late-husband’s honour.
"Keith is very deserving of this award and I’m proud to have been part of this occasion. It’s been a lovely day and has felt really special, like two old friends meeting and chatting over mutual experiences we share".
Keith's manager at the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Trust Mark Turner also paid tribute. He said: "I have worked with Keith for over 22 years from when I first joined the NHS as a Porter. From day one Keith was friendly and welcoming and always on hand to answer any questions I had about my new role. With him having a vast knowledge of the Portering role I was able to learn from him some of the more technical tasks of the role such as the handling and changing of medical gasses and the distribution of pharmacy.
"As my career progressed and I became Keith's supervisor and eventually his manager, he couldn't have been more encouraging an supportive to me in my new roles. Keith is an outstanding employee and a credit to my team and the organisation."
Matt Wright, chief executive at GV Healthcare, added: "We were sad that neither Jan or Keith could make the MyPorter Awards ceremony, but were delighted to be able to unite Tyneside and Wearside with a nice meal at a private event – we hope it felt as special to them as they deserve."
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