In today's Braintree and Witham Times, we are celebrating the fantastic key workers and community heroes who have helped keep our district running during the coronavirus pandemic.

We asked readers to nominate their heroes and the response has been fantastic, with dozens of people coming up with suggestions.

So below are all of the heroes who deserve a special mention and big thank you for their outstanding work in these challenging times.

Readers have given their nominations and explained why their hero/ heroes have been so crucial to the community:

Debbie Farrell: My husband Mark who is a senior working at the New Deanery although he should have retired now, working 13 hour shifts and trying to cope with less staff than normal because of the coronavirus.

Jenny Dunn: The funeral directors who are also putting themselves and their families at risk whilst doing an amazing job dealing with the grieving families - especially my hubby Dave Dunn, who works in Braintree.

Bethan May Harvey: Edward Flint, a fantastic St George's agency carer going above and beyond taking on extra hours and shifts to ensure that our elderly are cared for with love, respect and dignity in these worrying times.

Lynda Barrow: All the teaching staff at St Peter’s Primary School, Coggeshall, looking after key workers' children every day.

Sylvia Barker: The brave paper boys and girls.

Sharon Saward: Beaumont butchers of Braintree has been amazing and Mitchee's fruit and veg have both made sure we're all being fed, working crazy hours. Thank you.

Tara Brigid: I'd like to nominate Tina Townsend and the team at the Witham Community Hub. They have been going above and beyond to help vulnerable people access food. They delivered an emergency food parcel to me on the same day when I contacted Tina.

Seany Day: The police. Challenging times, enforcing rushed laws, risking their health and families' health, dealing with an increase in domestic abuse.

Sue Warrior: The staff of any vets, keeping our beloved pets healthy.

Adrian Chinnery: I nominate myself, being an undertaker in challenging times and risking our health along with our families'.

Sally De-pol: Beaumont's Butchers of Braintree. We appreciate everything they have done.

Dani Vickers: Not forgetting all school staff who are doing an amazing job of caring for children of critical workers despite the risk.

Gaynor Brown: Forest Homecare carers who are out in the community every day keeping our older loved ones safe during this difficult time whilst putting themselves at risk. Scallywags Day Nursery and the amazing staff who are looking after our key workers children.

Jo Smith: Tina Townsend and the Witham Hub team. Also all staff at Bores Tye House, a care home that my mum and friend work at. They are dealing with the virus head on.

Wendy Borrowdale: Applegreen petrol station, Rayne Road. It's where I work when not on furlough. The girls are doing a brilliant job there and the one guy working there as well.

Kat Inkley: The list is endless! There are so many that deserve this, yet won't get any mention. My sisters and brother who are all in the care sector - Kerry Inkley, Kirsty Reeve and Kurtis Manning.

Mavourneen Moore: The staff at Fern Lodge and Cypress Gardens. My son is at Cypress Gardens and he is in lockdown with everyone else there, so we haven't seen him for five weeks. During all this time the dedicated staff have worked really hard to keep everyone at Fern Lodge and Cypress Gardens safe, well and entertained. Thank you all for everything you are doing, you are a truly amazing team.

Toni Whele: Amy Edwards, 19, is the local Rainbow Guide and Beaver Scout leader. She has coordinated all the other Coggeshall Scouting and Guiding sections by producing a challenge badge to help keep the young people occupied.

Charlotte Louise: Hedingham buses. Every bus driver on the road deserves a mention.

Simon Blackbourn: The workers keeping the county clear of our rubbish.

Stacey Vaux: District Link taxi company getting those key workers to and from their jobs and getting shopping and essentials to the more vulnerable. Great work guys.

Lynn Jefferis: Allen House, Larchwood and Colne View carers. All the carers in all the care homes.

Jen Hedger: Tesco pickers, packers and delivery guys. All customer assistants in food retail, Braintree Council binmen and women, anyone who works for the NHS , lorry drivers, bus drivers, Essex Air Ambulance crews, pharmacy staff and my parcel delivery guys.

Jo Hammond: Tina Townsend and her team at the Witham Community Hub for ensuring that food parcels are made to those in need who are unable to go out themselves. A special shout out too to the Witham community for their donations to this fantastic cause.

Katie Gardner: Braintree-based accountants Lambert Chapman who purchased a 3d printer specifically so they could print, supply and deliver protective PPE face shields to local key workers. The printer runs seven days a week with a rota of staff volunteers.

James Rolfe: Retail banks. Dealing with customers face to face but also helping the local businesses who are in need of funds to keep them going beyond this pandemic. Also the local businesses who have changed the way they operate to keep themselves afloat. The Boars Head is one of those by doing takeaway fish and chips on a Friday and then a Sunday roast.

Andrea Abbott: The staff at C&O SLS for keeping all service users safe and entertained, and protecting them from what's going on around us. All the staff are amazing and selfless, putting service users first. Also my own son who is a care worker and goes that extra mile to make sure his service users are getting what they need and that they remain safe.

Molly Shepherd: St George's care agency in Witham. All the staff there are working around the clock going into elderly people's homes and the vulnerable to look after them day in and day out. And a special mention to my mum Maggie Shepherd who works in the office but goes and cares for all their clients in need. She works so hard and I'm proud of her.

Tim Davis: Don’t forget the milkman.

Claire Jefferies: My daughter works as a radiology assistant at Broomfield and changed her hours to work some nights to help out. Sophie Flower - well done to you all.

Isabel Potter: All the staff at Halfords and the autocentre, keeping everyone’s cars going and selling bikes to help people keep active. We’ve built over 100 bikes this week and the numbers are still going up.

Rayleen Jones: A special mention should go to the postmen and women who keep our mail and parcels moving. Special thanks to ours in Silver End - Matt Street and Pete - both fantastic chaps who go above and beyond to help our residents every day.

Victoria Wren: Purple Olive catering keeping people fed and so much more. Going above and beyond the call of duty. Keeping the staff at Asda Tiptree fed, working long hours to help Witham Community Hub. Amazing husband and wife team.

Carolyn Mann: Tina Townsend and team at Witham Community Hub.

Claire Jefferies: My sister Sam Barnard works as a radiology assistant at Broomfield. My sister in law Nicola Radovcic works as a district nurse and matron. To all the district nurses at Halstead also.

Louise Ashman: My husband who works at B&Q, who been at work nearly every day since this all started, not having lunch breaks as it’s been so busy. All the retail staff that get forgotten.

Kelly Tibbey: Special mention for Nicola Radovcic, a community nurse matron for Halstead and the Colne valley who always goes above and beyond.

Jo Hibberd-Birch: All the staff at Boars Tye nursing home, especially my sister Debbie who runs it.

Terry Bickmore: Thank you everyone for your work.