“I’ve worked for the NHS since 2003 and work as a porter at Malton Hospital. My job is very varied and one of the things I enjoy most is helping patients, staff and visitors who come to the hospital.

“While working for the Trust I’ve been lucky enough to be the spokesperson for stammering awareness. It’s meant that I’ve been able to help people understand what it means to have a stammer and what they can do to help. It’s not simply a speech difficulty but it can be a serious communication problem and can lead to people being ignored or overlooked.

“This year International Stammering Awareness Day is 22 October and it’s an excellent opportunity to get people talking about stammering. Colleagues can provide support by being patient, especially with phone calls and encouraging people to participate in conversations.

“In the 15 years I’ve worked for the NHS I’ve seen lots of changes. Some of these have been real improvements, for example in environmental issues such as the removal of cardboard products and disposing of food waste. We’ve also seen some real advances in cleaning systems to improve standards.

“Hopefully more young people will be around to develop and maintain the high standards we have within the NHS in the future – and keep it going for the next 70 years!”