![\"videoHeadline\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1766652446_224_poster.jpg\")
The amazing midwives delivering babies this Christmas<\/p>\nFrom 999 call handlers to hospital staff keeping little ones company on the wards at Christmas, these are the incredible people keeping our festive season a safe and happy oneThe amazing midwives delivering babies this Christmas<\/p>\n
\u2018Christmas is family time,\u2019 says Festus Omeike, fondly sharing how he\u2019ll be celebrating with his four children and wife. But those celebrations on Christmas<\/a> Day will be over the phone, on video calls, during his breaks.<\/p>\n Because cardiac nurse Festus, like so many people across the country, will be giving up time with their loved ones to keep lifesaving services going when people need them most.<\/p>\n While you\u2019re poring over the Christmas edition of the Radio Times, meticulously scheduling when you\u2019ll watch Wallace and Gromit, they\u2019re meticulously planning to give more than 100 homeless people a Christmas dinner, or tirelessly patrolling to keep our streets safe.<\/p>\n One 999 call handler made a plea to the public this Christmas, saying: \u201cWe have a lot of repeat callers taking up our time. If it\u2019s not an emergency, 101 or live chat are the options to use. Once they call, we have to spend our time to make sure there\u2019s no crime and that has to be escalated.<\/p>\n \u201cIt affects us and our supervisors and takes our time away from looking at severe cases. It doesn\u2019t just end with us; it impacts everybody else.\u201d<\/p>\n So, today, we\u2019re celebrating Greater Manchester\u2019s selfless Christmas heroes. Here, we\u2019ve put the spotlight on just a few of the amazing people who give up their Christmas Day in the service of others.<\/p>\n As nurse Festus says: \u201cEven though we\u2019re supposed to be with our own families, it\u2019s our pleasure to work on Christmas Day and make a difference in our community at people\u2019s most vulnerable times.\u201d<\/p>\n These are their stories\u2026<\/p>\n The NHS cardiac nurse<\/strong><\/p>\n Festus Omeike, who lives in Moston<\/a>, is one of thousands of NHS<\/a> staff working on Christmas Day in this country.<\/p>\n The dad-of-four started out as a support worker in 2017 before qualifying as a nurse in 2021. He now works at the Acute Cardiac Centre in Manchester Royal Infirmary, treating people who come in with cardiac arrests and heart attacks.<\/p>\n It can be a scary experience for patients and their families, and heart attacks make no exception for Christmas time.<\/p>\n \u201cHeart attacks don\u2019t know about Christmas. Heart attacks don\u2019t take days off \u2013 even at Christmas,\u201d he told the Manchester Evening News. \u201cFrom my years of experience, it\u2019s probably one of the days we are busiest!<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes the excitement, alcohol, food makes it more likely people might have a cardiac arrest. We take them straight from the ambulance to a procedure, and then down to the ward for monitoring.\u201d<\/p>\n Festus explained that a lot of patients don\u2019t know what to expect, and believe they\u2019re going to die. \u201cHeart attacks and cardiac arrests are one of the most frightening situations people can face,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n \u201cSome people might not even know they have an illness and their heart attack comes completely unexpectedly. A lot of the time it can be the most shocking thing that\u2019s ever happened to you, especially if it comes during Christmas time.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s supposed to be family time when families are supposed to be together, but have to be separated because the patient finds themselves in hospital in critical condition.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re there to support and tell them that heart attacks happen, it can be part of life \u2013 and if you follow the advice and treatment, you can live a very normal life depending on the damage done to your heart.\u201d<\/p>\n Festus shared that the centre finds its own ways of celebrating Christmas for patients unable to spend it at home.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cIt\u2019s also about reminding them that Christmas never finishes. You still hopefully have more to celebrate in the coming years now that you\u2019re getting treatment for your condition.<\/p>\n \u201cYou might be missing out this year, but we\u2019re just grateful you\u2019ve made it, not everyone does.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd there are plenty of ways we can celebrate on the wards and make it memorable for patients. We put up decorations, we make our own nativity out of things you\u2019d find in a hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n The CSI officer<\/strong><\/p>\n A crime scene investigation officer, Mark Howarth is of the understanding that he is the last person people want at their doorstep on Christmas Day. Working with the North Manchester unit, his day will consist of opening presents with his young family before clocking in for the night shift to deal with a range of crime scenes.<\/p>\n With 18 years in the force, working on Christmas Day is ‘just another’ bank holiday to Mark, however, but he has never forgotten the important part of his job.<\/p>\n \u201cIf someone has been a victim, what we want is for them to get back to normal and get some sort of closure as quickly as possible,” he told the M.E.N. \u201cWe do that every day, but Christmas is a step up, so that\u2019s where the sense of pride comes that we can hopefully achieve that for them.<\/p>\n \u201cNo-one wants me at their house anyway, but on that particular day especially.<\/p>\n On the reality of being away from his family on Christmas, he added: \u201cI\u2019ve got a young family myself, so it is difficult having to come in.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll miss out on the Christmas lunch, but we have pot noodles somewhere around here. The flipside of that is the sense of pride of helping people, and my family understand that.\u201d<\/p>\n Lydia Hill is a play specialist on the children\u2019s ward at the Royal Bolton<\/a> Hospital, and will spend Christmas Day helping children who are too unwell to leave hospital to perhaps have a brighter day.<\/p>\n Play specialists work all year round, but December can be their busiest and most meaningful time. They work with doctors, nurses and specialists to reduce anxiety and support children\u2019s treatment.<\/p>\n They help make sure that only children who truly need hospital care over Christmas are on the ward on Christmas Day, as hospitals try and get as many children home for Christmas as they can. After 40 years in the NHS, this Christmas will be Lydia\u2019s final Christmas Day working on the ward before retirement.<\/p>\n \u201cNo child should feel forgotten on Christmas Day,\u201d Lydia says. \u201cA small moment of joy can make a huge difference. We\u2019re here to make hospital feel as safe and calm as possible,\u201d<\/p>\n Thanks to the generosity of former patients, families and local Bolton companies, every child wakes on Christmas morning to a donated gift, with ones for visiting siblings too.<\/p>\n In December, the ward is transformed with decoration and festive activities but alongside the celebrations is the serious work of treating children who are unwell. Lydia helps them prepare for treatment and eases their anxieties with distraction and play.<\/p>\n She works with families from many cultures and backgrounds, recognising that Christmas can bring its own challenges, from stress to bereavement.<\/p>\n Sheilagh Armstrong, is an advanced nurse practitioner with Mastercall, an NHS urgent care provider. She has spent the past ten years working three days a week at homelessness support charity, The Wellspring, in Stockport<\/a>.<\/p>\n She provides walk-in healthcare for anyone who needs it, from treating wounds and infections to supporting people with a range of significant physical and mental health.<\/p>\n \u201cChristmas Eve is a normal day for us,\u201d Sheilagh told the M.E.N. \u201cWe do meals and, as people leave, we give them another packed meal that they can have later on.<\/p>\n \u201cThen, all of The Wellspring volunteers cook a full Christmas dinner, box it all up into little tupperwares all in a tidy stack. We wrap presents, and then head out and deliver them out to people in hostels.<\/p>\n \u201cOften, people are choosing between paying for somewhere to live and having electricity or putting the heating on. We also take them meals so they definitely have something to eat.<\/p>\n \u201cChristmas Day is a party all day \u2013 we have about 100 people for Christmas lunch, give out presents that we\u2019ve bought from donations or The Wellspring\u2019s funds.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone gets that family feel. Christmas can be a really painful time. It can bring back memories of families they\u2019ve lost or a life they\u2019ve lost \u2013 whether those are sad or not.<\/p>\n \u201cFor a lot of youngsters, they might have memories of not very nice Christmases at home. We really make the effort to try and replace that with unconditional regard and kindness at Christmas time.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd we always have a quiet space available if the celebrations in the main room get a bit much. There are people they can talk to, but it\u2019s also fine if they just want to be quiet.<\/p>\n \u201cThey don\u2019t have to explain anything to us \u2013 they can just be.\u201d<\/p>\n The Wellspring provides somewhere to be warm, get a shower, have a cooked breakfast, and speak to people. She said: \u201cIt\u2019s important that The Wellspring isn\u2019t on skeleton staff, it\u2019s not a step-down service on Christmas Day, there\u2019s no diminished service, it\u2019s not meagre \u2013 it\u2019s a proper Christmas Day, and everyone really enjoys it. We make a big deal of being part of something, and always bring something extra.<\/p>\n \u201cThese people don\u2019t get gifts. And on Christmas Day, they get presents that have been chosen with them in mind, a local florist comes in and does our table displays.<\/p>\n \u201cWatching their faces makes it all worth it. They are rewarded with everything that everybody else would expect on Christmas Day.<\/p>\n \u201cQuite often these people are invisible, people don’t want to look at them. Here, we treat people as human beings. It\u2019s a little bit like the bar in Cheers \u2013 a place where everybody knows your name, says hello, says \u2018see you tomorrow!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n The falls specialist<\/strong><\/p>\n Tackling another problem that doesn\u2019t discriminate when it comes to Christmas time, Greater Manchester Falls Lifting Service staff will be working on Christmas Day. And they\u2019ll be doing something crucial during the festive season \u2013 keeping people where they want to be, at home.<\/p>\n The service operates 8am to 8pm, seven days a week, from November to the end of March, lifting adults who, at the time of the call out, are not deemed to be injured.<\/p>\n Staff go into people\u2019s homes over the winter season and help them back on their feet after a fall \u2013 making sure people can stay in their own homes, easing pressure on the ambulance service, and avoiding unnecessary A&E admission that can lead to people losing their mobility as they are stuck in a hospital bed, or contracting illnesses which spread through hospital like flu.<\/p>\n It\u2019s perhaps a lesser-known service, but picking someone up in a timely fashion can ultimately save lives, as every hour spent on the ground multiplies the likelihood of injury. Falls are often classed as non-urgent by ambulance services dealing with life-threatening incidents, meaning people who have fallen can be waiting more than 12 hours for help from paramedics \u2013 posing a huge risk of deterioration.<\/p>\n But the Greater Manchester Falls Lifting Service usually responds in an hour.<\/p>\n Rachael Ingram, who helps run the service told the M.E.N.: \u201cWe\u2019ve dealt with 128 cases since November. Just 17 of those people have needed an onward referral after that. People only become patients when they\u2019re not picked up in time \u2013 until that, they\u2019re just a person who has fallen.<\/p>\n \u201cHours are critical in people\u2019s muscle memory, it can be so detrimental to just put people in hospital beds when they don\u2019t absolutely need to be, and they can get back on their feet quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n The staff are trained to pick people up, assess them, and make observations. If there\u2019s anything concerning, staff have access to doctors for medical decisions on what to do next, and help prescribing medications like antibiotics.<\/p>\n Every day, including Christmas Day, the service helps the elderly, but also anyone with limited mobility, wheelchair-users \u2013 people who \u2018for whatever reason, can\u2019t get up\u2019.<\/p>\n Referrals come through 999 calls, GPs, care homes, and other health care professionals.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know that people can be embarrassed when they\u2019ve fallen and an ambulance comes,\u201d added Rachael. \u201cFor many people, falling can be a knock to their confidence, and ambulances are very big and visible.<\/p>\n \u201cThe feedback we get is that we\u2019re really discreet \u2013 someone is able to come to their home within an hour, see them as a person, and keep them at home where they want to be.\u201d<\/p>\n The outreach nurses<\/strong><\/p>\n Karen Swift and Lynsey Philbin are taking NHS care beyond the GP surgery and onto the streets of Greater Manchester this Christmas, supporting people who are homeless, rough sleeping or at risk of homelessness.<\/p>\n Nurse Consultant Karen and Practice Business Manager Lynsey from Ribblesdale Medical Practice in Bury<\/a> have been running a voluntary outreach clinic at The Red Door Centre, a community hub run by Caritas. The fortnightly clinic offers flu vaccinations, health checks and vital support to people who often can’t access traditional healthcare services.<\/p>\n For many of the patients they see, registering with a GP or attending appointments simply isn’t possible. “None of them would traditionally have walked through the doors of this health centre\u2026 It’s just broken down those barriers and created an opportunity for a discussion,” Lynsey said.<\/p>\n Karen’s consistent presence helps to build trust with patients. “She goes out and she’s the person that the patients there have got to know,” Lynsey said. “She’s established that trust with them. This is the vital thing – she’s that friendly face and non-judgemental.”<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_171225festus3.jpg\")
Festus Omeike will be working Christmas Day at Manchester Royal Infirmary (Image: Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_Mark-Howath-CSI-GMP.jpg\")
Mark Howarth is a CSI officer working Christmas Day(Image: GMP)The children\u2019s ward play specialist<\/strong><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_HVR_MEN_christmasheroes2.jpg\")
After 40 years in the NHS, this Christmas will be Lydia\u2019s final Christmas Day working on the ward before retirement(Image: NHS GM)The homeless worker<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"videoHeadline\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1766652451_101_poster.jpg\")
The caring souls looking after our friends and family this Christmas<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_Christmas-heroes.jpg\")
Advanced nurse practitioner Sheilagh Armstrong.(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_HVR_MEN_christmasheroes.jpg\")
The team at Greater Manchester Falls Lifting Service staff will be working on Christmas Day(Image: UGC)<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_BF_23-12-25_XMAS_HEROESjfif.jpg\")
Karen Swift is a nurse consultant offering outreach flu vaccinations for people who are homeless or at risk, taking care directly to the streets(Image: NHS Greater Manchester)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1766652456_424_0_JRP_MEN_111225_homeless_005JPG.jpg\")
Karen (centre) seen here with the rest of her team, Jayne Chapman (left) and Lynsey Philbin(Image: Jason Roberts \/Manchester Evening News)The young people’s mental health nurses<\/strong><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1_BF_23-12-25_XMAS_HEROESjpeg.jpg\")
Emily Grant, Olivia Greer, Elle Hanson are young people’s mental health nurses who will be working on Christmas Day(Image: NHS Greater Manchester)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_Carlton-Caigar-GMP-call-handler.jpg\")
Carlton Caigar sent out a message to the public this Christmas(Image: GMP)<\/p>\n![\"Chief](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_Chief-Inspector-Richard-Flanagan-1.jpg\")
Chief Inspector Rick Flanagan(Image: Greater Manchester Police)<\/p>\n![\"Sergeant](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_Christmas-Heroes-Amber-Olivia-1.jpg\")
Sergeant Amber McLeod and PC Olivia Brotherton(Image: Greater Manchester Police)<\/p>\n