Press release
22 September 2025
She may not have gone through to the finals – but we couldn’t be more proud of her!
Liza Putwain, our nominee for this year’s ITV Anglia’s Regional Fundraiser of the Year, may not have gone through to the finals of this year’s Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards 2025 – but we couldn’t be prouder of her and everything she has achieved!
As one of only four stories to be put through from the hundreds originally nominated, Liza Putwain’s story talks of resilience and strength – and thinking of others whilst battling life’s challenges herself.
In true Liza style, our amazing fundraiser from Suffolk contacted the winners from her region, Anglia East, to congratulate them on going through to next month’s Daily Mirror Pride of Britain finals telling them she was glad they won.
Shelly Thake, Chief Executive of the Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), described 45-year-old Liza Putwain as ‘truly special’ and thanked her for everything she has done for the hospital charity.
“She may not have got through to the finals but as a charity we could not be prouder of everything Liza and her family have achieved. As is evident from hearing Liza’s family, friends, and Mark, her surgeon, and meeting her several times myself, she is a truly special person and inspiration to her family and everyone she encounters.”
Judges in this year’s ITV Anglia’s Regional Fundraiser of the Year Awards chose Liza as one of four nominees out of hundreds after reading her extraordinary story, saying: “Her kindness and care for others shone through in her nomination.”
Liza’s emotional story struck a chord with judges and was broadcast last week as one of four stories from the Anglia East region, which covers Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. The winner was announced on Friday and will go through to the finals in London next month.
Liza, 45, a mother of three, broke her neck whilst taking part in an obstacle course in memory of her husband, Ian, who had died very suddenly after contracting a virus that all the family had had.
Following the accident in September 2023, Liza, a film studies teacher at Abbeygate Sixth Form College in Bury St Edmunds, was originally taken to Ipswich Hospital where she was told she had broken her neck and had suffered damage to her spinal cord. Not knowing if she would ever walk again, she was later transferred to Addenbrooke’s for her surgery and spent a month recovering in hospital.
Unable to move from her neck down, Liza had to rely on medical staff to do everything for her, from sitting her up in bed to prevent bed sores to scratching her nose to helping her into the shower and going to the toilet.
Apart from being terrified she might never walk again, Liza, a fiercely independent person, found it hard having to rely on others – but said it was her own personal experience of being in hospital that made her realise just how amazing staff are at Addenbrooke’s.
“You feel very infantilised because you have to ask someone to help you go to the toilet and wait until somebody’s ready to give you a shower. Particularly when you can’t get out of bed, and you press a button, but you have to wait. I know the NHS is overstretched but it’s not until you are actually in that bed that you realise that.”
As a result of her experiences, Liza decided to fundraise for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), the official hospital charity for Addenbrooke’s and stunned surgeons by running the London Marathon earlier this year – just over a year and a half after her accident.
ACT is the official charity for Addenbrooke’s and funds high-tech equipment, specialist staff, extra comforts and vital research above and beyond what the NHS is able to provide. This year the charity celebrates its 30th year – and has revealed that in the first 30 years alone its supporters have donated more than £150 million towards supporting innovation in patient care.
Talking about why Addenbrooke’s is so special to her and why she wanted to fundraise for ACT to give something back to the hospital, Liza said: “I love Addenbrooke’s. It’s weird because you could go one way or another, and you could be like, I never want to see that hospital again, but I feel so safe here.”
In last week’s emotional piece, on-screen reporter Andy Ward filmed Liza at home with her sister, Jo, and best friends Jo and Pennie – who helped look after Liza’s three young children – Ella, 18; Sophie, 14; and her son Charlie, 11 – whilst she was in hospital and were there for her during her recovery.
Andy also interviewed Liza’s surgeon, Professor Mark Kotter, a neurosurgeon at Addenbrooke’s (pictured below) who was visibly moved during the interview when talking about Liza and her recovery, showing just how close the bond can be between patients and surgeons.
Shelly Thake, Chief Executive at ACT, congratulated Liza on her nomination and said: “Every single day at ACT, we get to hear amazing stories from our fundraisers – often very moving and inspirational stories about how they got to be involved in fundraising for Addenbrooke’s through our charity. Sometimes, however, there’s a really exceptional story that stops you in your tracks – and Liza’s is one of those.”
“I can’t imagine what it must have been like to have gone through what she has gone through – losing her husband unexpectedly after a brief illness and having to navigate that as a family with her three young children, then only to break her neck in a freak accident eight months later and not knowing if she would ever walk again or not. To go through all that and then get up and run the London Marathon the following year… Liza really is a true inspiration for all of us and someone who fully deserved her nomination.”
ITV Anglia’s Regional Fundraiser of the Year special was judged by former Olympian and discus champion Bill Tancred; ITV Anglia presenter David Whiteley and ITV Anglia’s Head of News Emma Baker.
Bronwen Brown, who produced the channel’s Regional Fundraiser of the Year special, said when choosing which of their fundraisers were picked for the special, and which ones later went through to the finals, judges were looking for “a fantastic fundraiser who has selflessly raised money for an amazing cause.”
“Liza was shortlisted as one of the finalists for the regional show because her story is incredible. She has gone through multiple hardships and still thinks about others before herself, raising thousands for ACT. Her kindness and care for others shone through in her nomination.”
Nominees from the Anglia East region who went through to the finals of next month’s Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards were parents Amanda and Jon Sheehy who lost their daughter Amber to a brain tumour in 2023, an hour before her ninth birthday. The couple founded Amber’s Army, raising over £250,000 to help create memories for families with children who have been diagnosed with cancer.
Click here to watch Liza’s story again along with the other three nominees from the region, including Amanda and Jon Sheehy.
The finalist in the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards 2025 will be announced on the night, with the show broadcast live on ITV.
This year is now the second year running that some of our fundraisers have been nominated for ITV Anglia’s Regional Fundraiser of the Year. Last year, we had two nominees in both the East and West region, David Bateson and Joyce Cripps. To read their story, click here.
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