VOLUNTEERS from a park community group have officially received a prestigious award honouring their commitment and dedication.

Earlier this year volunteers from Ford Park Community Group, based in Ulverston, were honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service which is the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups to benefit their local communities.

Ford Park Community Group is one of 281 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups nationally to receive the prestigious award this year.

The dedicated team of volunteers play a huge role in helping to maintain and care for Ford Park.

The park is a well-used and much-loved green space in the urban heart of Ulverston, run by the charity Ford Park Community Group.

At a ceremony on Sunday, representatives from Ford Park Community Group officially received the award from Clare Hensman, Lord Lieutenant of Cumbria, supported by her deputy Harry Knowles.

Shirley-Anne Wilson, Acting Chair of Trustees for Ford Park Community Group, described the award as a 'wonderful way' to recognise the many people who make the park a 'fantastic' community asset.

She said:

"Receiving this wonderful award is a real tribute to 20 years of dedicated volunteering from all the wonderful people who have helped in so many different ways to make Ford Park the fantastic community asset it is today.

"It is a beautiful space, open and free to all.

"We are deeply grateful to our volunteers – past and present – who give their time to keep this essential community asset open."

Cllr Wilson listed the various ways volunteers help nurture the community park.

"Volunteers help in a variety of different ways," she said.

"This includes maintaining and managing the green space, helping at events, keeping the garden looking wonderful, whilst providing fresh produce for our community enterprise run café, The Coach House @ Ford Park.

"Many of our volunteers work away quietly and effectively in the background supporting our small team in a multitude of ways.

"We could not do it without them.

"Today it was lovely to see so many of our volunteers represented at the official hand over of the Queens Award.

"We are all very proud and the Award will have pride of place at Ford Park."