VOLUNTEER groups in Bury have been presented with an honour from the Queen.

Bury Speakeasy, The East Lancashire Railway, Federation of Jewish Services, and World Mission Society Church of God all received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

The groups were all awarded with the volunteer equivalent to an MBE earlier in the year and finally received their awards at a special ceremony held in Gorton Monastery last week.

In total 26 voluntary groups, charities and social enterprises from across the county collected an engraved, commemorative crystal trophy and a certificate signed by Her Majesty the Queen presented by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Warren Smith and the Vice Lord-Lieutenant, Mrs Edith Conn.

Commenting on all the Bury award winners, The Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester Warren Smith, said: “The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest honour that can be bestowed on a voluntary group and these are four very worthy recipients. Each one makes an exceptional contribution to their community and helps to greatly improve the lives of local people. For so many to give up their time for others is tremendous and this award is extremely well deserved. We would encourage more groups in Bury to step forward and be recognised for the wonderful work they do.”

Bury Speakeasy supports marginalised people with communication disabilities.

Gill Pearl, chief executive of Speakeasy said: “We are delighted to receive the Queen’s Award. It’s such an honour. There are many people involved in delivering the work of Speakeasy and they have worked tirelessly for many years providing support, therapy and opportunity for people affected by aphasia. Small and highly specialist charities are often overlooked so it is wonderful that our work and this dedication have been recognized in this way.”

The East Lancashire Railway volunteers group was formed 34 years ago to develop a heritage railway and is still largely sustained by the 700 volunteers and together they have built a successful and growing enterprise.

The Fed, based in Prestwich, is a social care charity that looks after people of all ages and from the whole spectrum of the Jewish community including the vulnerable, disabled, abused and neglected.

Chief executive of The Fed, Karen Phillips, explained: “The Fed is a charity that supports more than 1,000 people in need, of all ages at any one time. We are indebted to the 600 plus volunteers across Greater Manchester, who support our families and individuals.”

“We know that we could not run our projects without them. They enrich the lives of people who ask us for help and in turn, they hugely benefit themselves from the joy of volunteering – from befriending to transport, from admin to fundraising, it is a special skill that they generously offer. This is a huge, well deserved accolade for the volunteers who are thrilled to be recognised and of course for the managers and staff who support them.”

Vice Lord-Lieutenant, Mrs Edith Conn added: “If the Fed didn’t exist then the community would be a poorer place and many people would live in isolation. The Fed is a veritable lifeline. The volunteers are not the stitches that hold the patches together but the patchwork itself.”

The World Mission Society Church of God, which has undertaken a lot of voluntary work within Bury, also received an award.

General pastor Joo-Cheol Kim said: “I give thanks to God for allowing us the honourable Queen’s Award and to Her Majesty the Queen, all the Mayors from different cities and our neighbours in the UK for encouraging the World Mission Society Church of God at all times. Our church believes in Heavenly Mother and wishes all people of the world to live a happy life by putting the love of Mother in their hearts through voluntary works.”

The closing date for nominations for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service 2016 is 16 September 2016. For information on how to nominate a group, visit: www.manchesterlieutenancy.org or www.gov.uk/queens-award-for-voluntary-service.