Charlie is the Hartlepool charity worker who puts a spring in your step

Charlie Coomer who works as a volunteer in the Alice House Hospice shops - and always puts a spring in the step of customers.

Officials at Alice House Hospice have put Charlie Coomer in the reckoning for a Best of Hartlepool Award.

And they did it with glowing praise as they described him as “incredible”.

A spokesman said: “Charlie has been volunteering for the hospice since 1998. He passionately supports the work that we do and will go to the ends of the earth to help us.

“Charlie originally worked on our vans but is now based mainly in our hospice shop in Lower Middleton Grange where he usually works on a voluntary basis two days a week.”

They said he was “much loved by his customers who visit to see Charlie just as much as to snap up bargains”, adding: “If anyone is a bit down, a chat with Charlie can be just the tonic they need to leave with a spring in their step.”

There was praise as well for his immense dedication to the cause and the hospice spokesman added: “Charlie is more than happy to work any extra hours required all completely unpaid and willingly works in any of our hospice shops.

“He is reliable, dedicated and we would love to see this wonderful man get the recognition he so richly deserves by winning your award.”

Charlie himself said he was “over the moon to be nominated for the award.”

Alice House Hospice provides free specialist palliative and end of life care to patients from Hartlepool and East Durham, and supports not only patients but also their families.

Stagecoach, the Northern School of Art, Hart Biologicals, Joel D. Kerr Funeral Services, Utility Alliance Ltd, Tilly Baily and Irvine, the Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees Clinical Commissioning Group, and English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College are the backers in this year’s competition and we thank them all.

The deadline for entries has now passed and now comes the next stage in the Best of Hartlepool Awards process.

Next, the judges will meet to draw up a shortlist of the best entries.

And then comes the grand finale which will be held at Hardwick Hall on Thursday, November 22.