Portsmouth's #HealthHeroes: Why we're celebrating the incredible people on our frontline

For the past two Thursday evenings at 8pm, the sound of applause has rung out loudly across the streets of the UK to celebrate those who are leading the nation’s fight against coronavirus.

It’s a simple gesture – but one that captures the heartfelt praise so much of us want to offer to everyone on the NHS frontline, as well as care workers, key workers and those in other essential roles.

Our #HealthHeroes campaign, which follows the nationwide regional press campaign #ThereWithYou, goes far beyond hospitals.

It also shines a light on those other vital key roles from carers to cleaners as they play their part.

And that message was echoed by Her Majesty The Queen earlier this week as she praised the ‘dedication to service’ of nurses, midwives and other health workers during the coronavirus outbreak in a message to mark World Health Day.

She added: ‘In testing times, we often observe that the best of the human spirit comes to the fore; the dedication to service of countless nurses, midwives and other health workers, in these most challenging of circumstances, is an example to us all.’

IN PICTURES: Meet 24 Portsmouth health heroes working on the frontline – as nominated by you

So that is why today more than 100 titles across JPIMedia, including The News, have united to say thank you and salute those who are making a difference in the communities they live up and down the country.

Today, in our special newspaper edition and across JPIMedia websites, we are celebrating those who are making a real difference in the fight against this virus.

Our readers have spoken of their pride in the NHS; they have shared photos of those on whom we have rarely depended more and they have shared their heartfelt messages of appreciation to those who are making the ultimate sacrifice to keep our nation safe and healthy.

Jeremy Clifford, editor-in-chief of JPIMedia, said: ‘We have heard so many great stories of key workers who are continuing to work that we wanted to pay tribute to these in a big statement across our portfolio of products.

‘As a result of an appeal to readers, we have been inundated with photos and messages. We hope that by putting them on our home pages and front pages, we are playing our small part in thanking those workers.’

And for JPIMedia’s titles it is an opportunity to join together as a collective force to celebrate and champion those in the heart of our communities.

After all, we live in those areas, we love those areas and we care about those who live there.

They are quite simply our heroes – and they mean so very much.