CARESCO, the Sawtry-based community charity led by volunteers, has been honoured with the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service for their tireless efforts in helping the community.

This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK, equivalent to an MBE.

The award will be presented to the charity by Mrs Julie Spence OBE QPM, Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, later this summer.

CARESCO’s chairman Tina Campbell said: “Receiving the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is a wonderful achievement that recognises the endless hard work and dedication that our staff and volunteers undertake to serve Sawtry and its neighbouring villages.”.

Under the CARESCO umbrella, there are numerous services on offer for the community, with more than 140 volunteers giving their support.

CARESCO runs a popular day club, an upcycling/repair workshop, a weekly drop-in café, a carers support group, a music-based social group, a prescription delivery service, a Christmas Day party, and a thriving charity shop publishing the popular Sawtry Eye magazine.

The award was created in 2002 to celebrate The Queen’s Golden Jubilee, and recipients are announced each year on June 2, the Queen’s Coronation anniversary.