Medway stars shine at annual recognition awards

Outstanding staff and volunteers who make a lasting difference to patients, families and colleagues were recognised at Medway Maritime Hospital’s annual Star Awards, held on Thursday 16 July.

The special recognition event, hosted at the hospital and supported by Medway Hospital Charity, saw 12 awards presented across a range of categories.

Our Hospital Hero

The Hospital Hero Award, the only category open to public nominations, received an impressive 78 submissions from patients, families and members of the community. Four finalists were shortlisted, with Marina Crockett ultimately being named this year’s Hospital Hero.

Marina was nominated for her work as a ward hostess, whose compassion, resilience and kindness left a lasting impression on a patient and their family. She plays an important role in supporting patients’ nutritional needs, ensuring they are offered food and drinks throughout the day and helping them choose meals that best meet their needs. Her caring approach and dedication to going the extra mile made her a worthy winner of this year’s Hospital Hero Award.

Marina said: “It is a real honour to have won the 2026 Hospital Hero Award. I aim to treat every patient with the same care, respect and compassion, and to ensure they receive the best possible support.

“I would like to thank the family member who nominated me, as well as the judging panel for selecting me as the overall winner. It means a great deal to be recognised in this way.”

Compassion and dedication in the spotlight

Nine of the awards were based on nominations submitted by colleagues, while the Team of the Year and Employee of the Year awards were selected by the judging panel from the hospital’s monthly award winners.

Siobhan Callanan, Interim Chief Executive of Medway NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Our annual Star Awards recognise the incredible work that takes place at Medway every day, across every area of the hospital, both on the frontline and behind the scenes.

“Hearing the stories behind the nominations truly demonstrates the dedication, compassion and teamwork shown by our staff and volunteers.

“Congratulations and well done to all our 2026 Star Awards nominees and winners. We can all be incredibly proud of their achievements.”

Watch our finalists in action