Local Hero award nominee: Charles Hamilton

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Charles 'Skip' Hamilton Credit: ITV

Charles Hamilton, or Skip, as he is known is 78 and from Stockport. He has been nominated for his work as a volunteer at Stepping Hill Hospital. Skip commits to attending the hospital every weekend to spend time on the children's wards, playing with and entertaining the children. He miraculously gets children to put down their Playstations and Xboxes and get back to basics, playing games and using their imaginations.

Skip in action on the Treehouse Children's Unit Credit: ITV

Skip was nominated by nurses Claire Gibson and Katie Davison who say: 'He is excellent at distracting children from their current condition and making smiles and laughter reappear. When Skip is on shift there is always a paper aeroplane flying around!''

Skip has now been volunteering for an incredible 60 years. He celebrated his 'Diamond Jubilee' with staff at the hospital earlier this year.