THE DORSET community has faced an immeasurable number of challenges this year, with Covid-19 spreading across the county and our lives flipped upside down.

But amongst all the challenges, there have been people who have gone above and beyond for their loved ones, community and those in their workplace.

Here are your Dorset Heroes 2020:

Julia’s House

The Corfe Mullen based hospice has decided to nominate their team of nurses and carers.

Staff at the children's hospice have been undertaking countless roles in order to continue their vital care services, including staying in touch with children and their families on the ‘phone, offering to help with shopping and collecting prescriptions and hosting online play sessions.

Director of Care Claire Hudson-Cooper said: “It is really impossible to pick one Dorset Hero as our nurses and carers are all Dorset Heroes.

“From the minute we went into lockdown, they have put the children and families we support first and foremost

“They have just been amazing.”

Millie Earl

Millie Earl from Poole is Marketing executive and BCP Councillor.

She has been nominated for Dorset Heroes 2020 by Elizabeth Manetta, who has described Millie as a "beacon for other young people to get involved with their local community, either through politics or volunteering."

Millie is heavily involved in the community and has set up two Community Fridges in Branksome and Rossmore Libraries, helps to manage Turner's Field, set up Light up Upper Parkstone and is a volunteer with BCP's Together We CAN, amongst many other things.

The BCP Councillor was also nominated by Barbara Leonard, for her “tireless work in supporting people in and around her ward and the wider area”.

Barbara added: “She encourages others and is a role model for others. We need more young people to get involved with their communities, practical action and politics.”

Macmillan Caring Locally

The specialist palliative care unit said they couldn’t nominate one member of staff for the award and have decided to nominate the whole team in Christchurch.

From reception staff to members of their medical team, as well as housekeeping staff and the Hospital Palliative Care Team, leadership members say that staff have been “inspirational, working together to ensure that what matters most is at the heart of the care that they deliver”.

A spokesman from Macmillan Caring Locally said: “It has been a difficult year for everyone due to the Covid-19 pandemic and here at the Macmillan Unit hospice in Christchurch Hospital, it has been extremely tough.

“We have been blown away observing the lengths that the Macmillan Unit team has gone to in order to put what is important to our patients at the heart of their care.

“Therefore, we at Macmillan Caring Locally are nominating ALL the staff at the Macmillan Unit. To us, they are always heroes, but this year just proves how selfless, brave and caring every one of them is and how much our community relies on them.”

Rosie Hanmer

Rosie Hanmer from Bovington is the Care Home Manager at Coneygar Lodge.

She has been nominated by Lizzie Freeman as she has ensured that "the wellbeing and safety of her residents has been her priority at all times."

Lizzie said: "I have nominated Rosie as throughout this difficult year she has gone above and beyond to ensure the residents are in a safe environment no matter what.

"As well as this, she has worked so so hard throughout the pandemic to keep the residents entertained when times were difficult, providing dances, facetimes with family, bingo and the residents now even have their own bar."

Lizzie believes that Rosie should be recognised as she is unaware of the amazing things she is doing to help the elderly and their families in the local area.

She added: "Rosie could really do with a boost right before Christmas as the residents and myself all agree she is doing a wonderful job. "Keep up the good work Rosie."

The Community Specialist Palliative Care Team at Forest Holme Hospice

The Community Specialist Palliative Care Nurses have been nominated for Dorset Heroes 2020 by Paul Tucker.

The team of seven nurses are based at Forest Holme Hospice but work across East Dorset spanning Bere Regis to Swanage to Cranbourne in the North.

Paul said: "The exceptional care that Forest Holme provides is never down to just one person - it is always a team effort. And this year especially, there is one group of nurses that deserve a nomination as they have faced the toughest and most demanding time of their careers.

"I have nominated them because they are unsung heroes, who this year, due to the pandemic, have been challenged in ways no one could have imagined.

"They have never stopped striving to maintain dignity for all their patients. The effects of Covid-19 and lockdown has taught them more about what matters most and they are all getting through this together, still smiling, and doing what they do best - enabling patients to stay at home."

David Wood

David Wood, a Hotel Consultant who spends time helping homeless veterans, has been nominated by Dawn Staker.

David is is the CEO of Helping Homeless Veterans UK and, according to Dawn, has "worked tirelessly to help home our homeless veterans."

To Dawn, David is a "true inspiration" for many reasons, namely for using government legislation to achieve a permanent roof over the heads of veterans, travelling to the other side of the country to help people, and postponing his own wedding to his wife Lisa during these challenging times.

Sinead McCarney

Sinead McCarney is an Office Administrator for UNISON Dorset in Dorchester.

She has been put forward for the Dorset Heroes Award by Dorchester resident Janine Miller, who has said that Sinead “has provided a lifeline for the Community to ensure that no-one who needs help, for whatever reason, will be turned away.

Sinead set up the Dorchester Community Kitchen to provide food boxes and other essentials for anyone self-isolating or finding themselves in need of support in Dorchester.

On top of this, she also helped to deliver critical services to the community throughout the pandemic in social care, schools and within the council, as well as home schooling her two young boys.

Janine added: “She has worked tirelessly to make the Community Kitchen firstly a reality from its initial conception, through to being truly sustainable and able to continue providing support long past the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Jordan Manley

Jordan Manley, a barman from Northbourne, has been nominated by friend Danielle Sprinks.

She said: "Since the start of the pandemic, Jordan has been checking in on me making sure I'm okay and always asked if he could do anything for me.

"In November, I suddenly lost my father (not coronavirus related) and Jordan was fantastic."

For Danielle, it's important Jordan is recognised as he doesn't realise how appreciated he is by those around him.