We ask town's leaders 'what does Watford mean to you'

At Peace Hospice Care, Watford means community, fun, family, care, generosity, passion, ambition and pride.

As a charity we have been supporting patients with life-limiting illnesses for over 25 years. Our journey began because the local Watford community came together to launch an appeal to fund a new hospice. We never forget the warmth, loyalty and heartfelt support that began our journey and enables us to continue it.

Every day we are touched by the strength of feeling within the community – individuals who give their time so generously, donations we receive, the support of the business community, the depth of feeling of other groups, organisations and charities that generously give back to the community and the hard work of our staff – it’s because of them that we can do the work we do. We are proud and honoured to be part of, and supported by, the Watford community – thank you.

Declan Carroll, CEO of Peace Hospice Care in Watford

Watford has been my home since I moved here with my family over 30 years ago. It’s where I’ve seen my three boys grow up into hard working young men. It’s where I enjoy the company of so many friends. It’s where I enjoy many pastimes. It’s where community spirit lives in all parts of the town and its where people from all walks of life work together and look out for each other.

I love that Watford has something for everyone. A great town for shopping, fabulous sports facilities, a vibrant entertainment industry and wonderful parks & green spaces. I love also that Watford continues to grow always looking to improve what are already outstanding facilities and services. I love that in the main the people of Watford recognise this and embrace the changes this brings.

Most of all I love that Watford is my home town.

Cllr Stephen Cavinder, Watford Borough Council (Woodside)

Watford means pride to me because it’s where I see the best in people who work together to deliver great care for our patients.

My job is all about the smooth running of Watford General, St Albans and Hemel Hempstead hospitals. The age of our buildings doesn’t always make this easy; leaks, power cuts and lift failures – you name it, we deal with it!

There’s a lot of work going on to secure significant investment for our estate and I’m optimistic we’ll have news on this soon.

But I don’t need to look into the future to find reasons to be cheerful. I see things every day that make me smile; patients on the road to recovery; clinicians with bright ideas for improvement; and colleagues working in partnership with other organisations to help patients leave hospital when they no longer need our care.

I’m proud of what we all achieve, despite the challenges.

Chief Operating Officer, West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Sally Tucker