Karen Howell, chief executive of Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, writes for Globe.

THIS week I'm dedicating my column to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of the NHS.

On Monday, our wonderful NHS was awarded the George Cross by the Queen.

It is recognition at the highest level of the work of the NHS, and that includes everyone, in every NHS organisation and in every role.

In her statement, the Queen talks of 'courage, compassion and dedication', all of which has been unwavering throughout the pandemic and continues as services start to recover.

For 73 years the NHS has provided services across the UK with care and compassion; supporting people to stay well and live well.

In our hospitals and our communities, the NHS continues to strive to do the best it can, to innovate and push the boundaries of excellent health and care delivery and remains a fundamental and vital part of public service.

You may have joined over 16 million people across the country on Sunday as part of the national Thank You Day - a day to mark what has happened, celebrate the community spirit that got us through the height of the pandemic and an opportunity to say thank you.

I want to say a huge thank you to everyone in Wirral for playing their part to ‘Help to keep Wirral Well’.

Monday also marked the first anniversary of the NHS Cadets Programme - an initiative to help to improve care for patients, while offering a route into health service employment for up to 10,000 young people nationally and creating a NHS workforce for the future. Working in partnership with St John Ambulance and The Hive, we were the first Community Trust in the country to be involved in this innovative pilot programme.

Delivered from The Hive, the programme has ensured that 70 young residents across Wirral were able to access this exciting programme remotely during lockdown.

The 12-month course is designed to engage with young people who wouldn't normally get to work or volunteer within the NHS. It provides 14 to 16-year-olds with opportunities to develop their leadership skills, and in normal circumstances, first aid training and volunteering opportunities in the NHS - including vital hands-on work experience in NHS settings.

The dedicated and passionate team at The Hive have continued the programme throughout lockdown which, at a time when traditional education and socialising weren't happening – perhaps two of the biggest elements of a young person's life – has been an invaluable resource for the cadets.

The cadets have engaged in sessions on transferable skills such as communication and teamwork, as well as sessions on mental health and wellbeing and infection prevention control - paramount lessons in these challenging times.

Summing the programme up, Rachel Markey, NHS Cadets Project Co-ordinator said: "The positive impact that the NHS Cadets programme has had on our young people is second to none.

"Not only has it given them an insight into a future career in healthcare, but they have made lasting friendships and it has been a pleasure to see them learning new skills and growing in confidence.

"I am so proud of them all as I know this has been a difficult time for lots of them, but their resilience and passion for the programme has really shone through."