A GREAT sense of pride is being celebrated by health professionals and volunteers in Winsford today as the town marks one year on from the first lockdown.

In a meticulously organised operation, doctors and nurses from the town's five surgeries became the first GP site in the country to offer immunisation.

Prince William spoke personally to Swanlow GP Dr Jonathan Griffiths to thank everyone for all their efforts.

A red clinic was set up in the early days to treat patients who may have had coronavirus and then a vaccination clinic was organised at Dene Drive to administer thousands of jabs.

Dr Jonathan Griffiths and practice nurse Anita Keal at one of the vaccination clinics

Dr Jonathan Griffiths and practice nurse Anita Keal at one of the vaccination clinics

Dr Jonathan Griffiths and practice nurse Anita Keal at one of the vaccination clinics

Dr Griffiths said:"The GP practices within Winsford are very proud of how everyone in Winsford has got through the last year.

"All of the practices remained open and seeing patients.

"The practices have worked incredibly hard, particularly recently adding additional clinics to cover vaccinations. We would like to thank all of the people of Winsford for so quickly adopting different ways of engaging with us.

"Winsford was ahead of the game in December as the first GP based site in Cheshire to start vaccinating. Since then we have done amazingly well with all over 50s and those at increased risk of serious harm from the virus having been invited for the vaccination.

"We would like to particularly thank all of the volunteer marshals led by John Malam who helped us with both the red clinic and the vaccination clinics. We couldn’t have done it without them."

READ > Darnhall children create memorial garden to mark day of reflection

Loving husband Geoffrey Greenhough, 84, was the first Winsford resident to receive a Covid jab.

Geoffrey Greenhough delighted to receive his second Covid jab

Geoffrey Greenhough delighted to receive his second Covid jab

Geoffrey Greenhough delighted to receive his second Covid jab

The retired vicar, desperately missing his wife Irene, 86, in a care home, has since received his second vaccination.

Residents have been praised for their co-operation and compliance.

Dr Griffiths said: "Seeing the town work so well together, sticking to the social distancing, wearing face coverings and caring for the most vulnerable has been great to see.

"We believe we can come out of the pandemic in a strong place as a town through cooperative working and can start to look at some of the good things coming out of this difficult period

"Thank you also to the Winsford Guardian for faithfully reporting all of the changes to health provision in the town.

"As we enter the spring with large numbers of our town vaccinated and cases still falling we feel that we can look forward with hope to a better and brighter 2021."