82-year-old hospital volunteer, Gordon Samways from Adlington, Macclesfield is the first member of the public to receive the Covid-19 vaccine at East Cheshire NHS Trust.

Gordon, who has been a Volunteer at Macclesfield Hospital since 2015, received the Pfizer vaccine this morning at the trust's vaccination clinic.

He said: "I am delighted to be the first member of the public to get the vaccine at Macclesfield hospital and I have been made to feel very special by the vaccinating team! I enjoyed working as a volunteer very much and I can't wait to get back as soon as possible.

"I had no hesitation in getting the vaccination when it was offered to me. I feel it is extremely important to protect yourself and others from the spread of Covid-19 as it is a really unpleasant illness to have."

John Wilbraham, Chief Executive of East Cheshire NHS Trust, said: "It is fantastic news that the Trust has now been able to begin administering the vaccine, taking us one step further in the fight against this virus. And I am also extremely grateful to the number of different teams both within our hospitals and our partners that have come together to make this happen.

"A huge amount of preparation and coordination has been needed to ensure the safe and effective running of this programme. I would also like to sincerely thank Gordon who is our most elderly volunteer for agreeing to be one of the first over the threshold of our new vaccination clinic."