Heartfelt tributes have been paid to a “passionate” NHS advocate who spent years working to make a difference.

Julie Lewington worked as a treasurer at Save Southend NHS, who campaign against government cuts and to get NHS staff pay rises.

Julie spent six year with SSNHS, where she would organise meetings, dealt with the finances and offered help to people who needed it to make sure they could attend the meetings.

Julie was also a patient advocate and and offered to go on a board to help the hospital improve their services.

Six years ago Julie was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition.

She battled with polymyositis and antisynthetase but continued her work campaigning for the NHS.

Julie passed away on February 17 at the age of 58 after a short battle with Covid that had worsened her autoimmune condition.

She leaves behind her husband Paul.

Paul, 58, remembered his wife as a “fighter till the end”.

He said: “She just loved supporting and helping people.

“That’s what she wanted, to make a difference.

“She became passionate about her work with Save Southend NHS. She never missed a meeting.

“Anything to do with the hospital she was passionate about and she wanted to help. It was her thing.

“They saved her life six years ago and all she wanted to do was give back.

“It became even more important to help and make a difference.

“She didn’t give up ever. She always said fight till the end and she did fight till the end.

Paul and Julie married six months after they met, 27 years ago.

Paul said: “We met on a blind date and that was it. We hit it off and we lived in each others pockets from that moment.

“I fell in love with her from the moment I met her.

“She was everything to me.

“I don’t feel lonely but when I’m sitting here at night I feel alone.

“There’s a bit missing and everybody feels the same.”

Paul has been overwhelmed by the amount of tributes paid to Julie since her passing.

He said: “She will be terribly missed.”