Heroes who give us hope

You tell us about good schools and their teachers, about people who work hard and unsung for good causes, about pubs who raise fortunes for charities. You've even told us about helpful and cheerful tax collectors and welcoming prisons.

Many are about people who are just doing their job - but doing it with that extra dash of kindness, helpfulness or understanding that makes so much difference. But we also hear many times from people who have been grateful for the kindness of strangers - in slips and falls, stalled cars, locked cars, lost keys, lost dogs, lost wallets, abandoned shopping - strangers have helped, often anonymously, just waiting long enough to see that everything's OK, then melting into the background.

All through the region we have people keeping an eye on elderly neighbours, doing their shopping, taking them for hospital appointments, cutting the grass. Neighbours also keep an eye on mums with young children and anyone who is sick, down or who has had an accident. And, although the majority of helpful neighbours tend to be older, there have been plenty of teenagers and children who have been quick to do good turns, unasked, for their neighbours.

It's when we're ill that we appreciate care and concern the most. By far the most nominated hospital this year was Bishop Auckland General, where it seems nearly every ward got a mention. Plenty of nominations, too, for the Radiography Unit at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, Darlington Memorial Hospital and the Cardiac Day Unit at the University of Durham.

In every case it wasn't just the skill of the surgeons or the nurses' professional care that was appreciated but their kindness and gentleness, the way they kept smiling and cheered people up. That little extra touch which makes all the difference. There was also plenty of praise for all the auxiliary staff, proving that when it comes to patient care, they too have a big role to play.

Then there are shops and firms. Service with a smile might be unheard of in some parts of the world, but up here it's still, happily, flourishing. There are plenty of little shops and small companies who provide excellent service and there are plenty of people working for big national firms who make time to ensure customers are well looked after. Asda in Bishop Auckland, Tesco in Newton Aycliffe, Ottakar's and Wilkinsons in Darlington, are all regulars on the page.

Other regulars have included the staff at Darlington Railway Station and the local history and family records section of Darlington library.

And the most dramatic was no doubt the mad dash between Newcastle Airport, Hunwick and the Passport Office in Durham by cruise travel agent Anthony Blackmore, who organised a new passport for a teenager in the time between check in and take off.

All through the year we have plenty of nominations. Our problem is that each week there can only be one winner, so this week, thanks to NATTRASS the florist and THE LITTLE CHOCOLATE SHOP in Leyburn, we are able to go back through our files and in a bit of a lucky dip, give some chocs or flowers to people who just missed out first time round.

IN the spring we heard about the FIREMEN OF BISHOP AUCKLAND. As part of their role in preventing fires starting in the first place, they fit smoke alarms. We heard from a pensioner in Tindale Crescent, who not only appreciated the smoke alarm, but the cheerful professional way in which the firemen went about their job. They quite made her day. So we're sending the lads at Bishop fire station a couple of boxes of chocs to make sure they stay sweet.

We have lots of nominations for good neighbours. Typical was ANDREA BURN of Northallerton. She has a husband, a job and three children. Yet when her elderly neighbour was widowed at this time last year, Andrea helped her a lot, looked after her, did her shopping, cleared the snow away. It's typical of the neighbourliness in the region and we're sending Andrea a bouquet.

Another good neighbour was PAT CARNEY of Newton Aycliffe. Her friends were away in Canada when one of them was taken ill. Pat immediately sorted out all sorts of business affairs and urgent paperwork back here. And when her friends returned, she looked after them, did their shopping and did all she could to help. A gem. She gets a box of chocs.

BRITTONS BAKERY of Yarm Road Darlington don't only bake good bread. When Dennis and Eileen Scarr celebrated their Golden Wedding in September, Brittons did the cake and the food for the buffet. It was first class, said the Scarrs' daughter, Denise Savage. What's more, the Brittons' son did the disco and had all ages up there dancing. A great family effort, so Brittons gets a bouquet.

Undertakers occasionally get a mention here, but normally for their normal line of business, when it's part of the job description to be gentle and helpful. But MARK BROWNLESS of Barnard Castle was extra kind to a bereaved client. Poor eyesight meant she had trouble installing and connecting some electrical equipment - the sort of job her late father would have done easily - so Mark came to the rescue and went along on a number of occasions to ensure that everything was done properly. It was a real kindness, so we're sending him a box of chocs.

A good plumber is worth treasuring and we heard good reports of J POTTLE from Shildon. Even though he didn't believe us when we rang, he gets a box of chocs.

Just last week we heard about HEATHER O'RILEY, who works in the Northgate Bedding Centre in Darlington and was particularly kind and patient when an elderly customer came in to buy a bed. She gets a bouquet

AGE CONCERN have a bustling centre in Darlington where they provide all sorts of services and activities. In June we had a letter from a lady who'd been going to the day centre for nearly two years and found it had made a real difference to her life. "The staff of carers and drivers are a really good jolly lot who look after us all very well." So they get a bouquet.

Taxi drivers are there just to take you from A to B. But if you're sharing a car with someone, it makes life a lot nicer if they are pleasant and friendly and it makes a real difference if they are also helpful when you're struggling with shopping or luggage. We had a nice letter from a pensioner telling us about ACE TAXIS in Darlington and their lovely staff - so they get a bouquet.

And that's it for another year. Many thanks to all those people who make the world a nicer place. And many thanks as well to all those of you who've told us about them. The word most used is always "kindness", so maybe we'd better all make a New Year's resolution to be little kinder next year.

REMEMBER...

NEXT week, next year, Bouquet of the Week is back to normal. It's your chance to say a public thank you to a helpful shop assistant, efficient company, caring hospital, good neighbour or kind stranger. Just write to Sharon Griffiths, Bouquet of the Week, The Northern Echo, Priestgate, Darlington, DL1 1NF. Every week of the year we send someone a bouquet of flowers or a box of posh chocs from The Little Chocolate Shop. But PLEASE remember to include all details - including your name and phone number so we can check if needs be. It's very hard to send a bouquet to someone when you don't know where they live.

Happy New Year - let's hope there will be lots of super service for you to write to us about in 2006.

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