Selfless volunteers recognised by St Helens Borough Council
Volunteers from a range of different council services with decades of experience between them have been recognised for their valuable contributions at an end of year celebration event at St Helens Town Hall
Article date: 23 December 2024
Organised by St Helens Library Service, Family Hubs and the Refugee Resettlement team - which all benefit from a number of volunteers - the event saw more than 30 people awarded certificates for offering up their time over many years to support across the library service which includes the archive and Arts in Libraries programme - as well as with the Refugee Resettlement service and to deliver activities from within Family Hubs, including the popular weekly Grandtots session at Central Link Family Hub in Peter Street.
Special recognition on the day went to long-serving volunteers, Judith Service, Dianna Heywood, Joan Bell, Mary Hunter, Susan Bates, Anne Berry and Stephen Pickering who have each given more than ten-years volunteering service to St Helens Borough Council.
Denice Melia, who has volunteered in the borough for the past ten-years with her local church, was among those recognised for her commitment to supporting the council's Refugee Resettlement Service.
"Volunteering has helped me to gain valuable experience and knowledge of asylum seekers and refugees," said Denice, who first started volunteering with the resettlement service two-years during Refugee Week.
"It has also helped to develop my confidence and self-esteem. I'm always more than happy to help in any way that I can."
Passing on his gratitude to the group, St Helens Borough Council Leader, Councillor Anthony Burns, said: "Listening to some of the brilliant stories and watching the volunteers get their awards and seeing how much it meant to them means a lot to us as a council as well.
"In this borough, we all come together to help each other, whatever area it is, to make a difference and changes people's lives for the better which is what we lead on as a council, but to see volunteers deliver this on the ground in their own spare time is tremendous."
For volunteering opportunities with St Helens Library Service, Family Hubs and the Refugee Resettlement, click the highlighted links.
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