Mags members were asked to nominate other female members who are going above and beyond to help people across the North East, and Heather, Emily, and Samantha were all put forward in recognition of their resilience, kindness, and an unwavering commitment to helping others in keeping with this year’s theme, 'Give to Gain'.

And at last weekend's Premier League game against Everton, the club brought all three of them together to honour their achievements and the remarkable impact they make across the North East.

'I just want to give back'

Heather Buckley is a lifelong Magpies fan and a season ticket holder for over 30 years. Her connection to the club is a deep and lasting one - her dad first brought her to St. James' Park as a child - but her journey in the last four years has been an immensely challenging one.

After developing a brain lesion, Heather lost her peripheral vision entirely. "It was the start of a very, very tough journey," she says. "With the sight loss, the loss of confidence was pretty huge."

At her side on matchday, and in life, is Connor, her guide dog. Connor "brought the confidence back in spades", helping Heather to continue doing the things she loves, including cheering on United.

Heather has dedicated herself to giving back. She is a passionate fundraiser for Guide Dogs UK, helping to ensure that others with visual impairments can receive the same vital support she found, through Connor, when she needed it. "I just want to give back," she says, "because what they've given me is just absolutely immeasurable."

'I get so, so much from that. It's just amazing'

Emily Ellison moved to Newcastle at the age of 21 and quickly immersed herself in the area and its team. Her professional and personal life is spent caring for others; she works on the children’s heart unit at the Freeman Hospital, where she supports young patients and their families through unimaginably difficult moments.

In her spare time she volunteers with Dreamflight, a charity that takes children with life-limiting or serious conditions on life-changing trips to Florida, providing her time and skills.

"What I get from that is just being able to see the joy in the kids," she says. "I get so, so much from that. It's just amazing."

'You get so much back when you try and help somebody else'

Samantha Cox's introduction to the region came through marriage, as she wed into a Geordie family. "I've just met so many inspirational people from here in the North East," she explains. "I'm just thankful to be able to support a lot of them at the most vulnerable time in their life."

After losing her father to mesothelioma - an asbestos-related cancer – ten years ago, she wanted to ensure others facing similar illnesses would not be alone. Alongside Joanne Murray, she founded Readley, a charity that supports people living with asbestos-related diseases across the North East.

The organisation offers help at the most vulnerable points in their lives, providing emotional support, guidance and compassion when families need it most. "You get so much back when you try and help somebody else," she adds.