Healthcare heroes will be recognised when an NHS community trust holds their annual awards evening next week.

Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust (NCHC) will be celebrating the achievements of their staff on the November 9 at Sprowston Manor.

The REACH (Recognition of Excellence and Achievement in Community Healthcare) Awards recognise exceptional teams and individuals who go the extra mile to ensure that patients and their families have the best possible experience of the trust and the local NHS.

Roisin Fallon- Williams, chief executive of NHCC said: 'Our staff play such an important part in so many people's lives, and provide health and care to those people from their first few years, right through to their final days.

'These awards are our way of saying how proud we are of the great staff we have and the work they do, an opportunity to say well done on behalf of our trust to all staff, and thank you on behalf of patients and colleagues.

'They also are a fantastic opportunity for us to recognise some truly exceptional teams and individuals who go the extra mile to ensure our patients have the best possible experience of our services and the local NHS.'

Hosted this year by Radio X Breakfast Show's Dominic Byrne, a Norwich man with strong family connections to the NHS, the evening will also include entertainment from the NCHC choir, who recently sang with Lulu on her national tour.

Mr Byrne was best known as part of Chris Moyles' breakfast show on BBC Radio 1 and his parents still live in Norfolk. Aside from his 25-year radio career, the father-of-three is a voice actor on children's television show Peppa Pig.

Awards finalists were chosen by a panel of directors and staff representatives from a record number of nominations made by staff and, for the patient's choice award, the public. The awards are sponsored by DLA Piper and Sprowston Manor.

Awards range from clinical to non-clinical, and for those who may have been working in healthcare for a long time to those just beginning their careers. The prizes will be split up into categories which support trust values: creativity, community; and compassion.

• Do you have a health story? Email geraldine.scott@archant.co.uk