COMMUNITY STARS: Durrington Health Hero Doreen

Those are the words of Kathleen Cock about Doreen McQueen, who she has nominated in the Health Heroes category of the Herald and Gazette Community Stars Awards.

Kathleen, 70, of Hobart Close, Durrington, has been visiting the Victoria Road Surgery at Durrington Health Centre for more than 30 years and has known Doreen for eight years after she started working there as a doctor’s receptionist in 2002.

She said all the reception staff there are lovely, but Doreen stands out as she always goes the extra mile.

She said: “Last year, my doctor of more than 30 years retired and it was quite a big thing for me to find a new doctor after all that time.

“But Doreen was so great and really helped me through it. She’s always so friendly when I arrive and we always have a little chat.

“I can’t imagine anybody not liking her. It’s just so nice not to have somebody with a long face when you arrive there.”

On hearing she had been nominated, Doreen said: “I’m welling up – this is just lovely.

“I’m a chatterbox, and everybody here knows that, so if I have the time then I do have a good old chat with people. I think it’s nice for them and I really enjoy it, too.”

She added: “When people come here, they’re not feeling well and maybe they don’t have many other people to talk to so I’m a huggy person so I’ll give them a hug, chat to them and give them a cup of tea!”

Doreen, 53, lives in Chesham Close, Goring, and said she loves her job, even though it can be stressful.

“I just get so much back from it and I’ve met some wonderful patients,” she said.