TWO West Somerset volunteer groups are over the moon after winning the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2018.

Home-Start West Somerset and Watchet Phoenix Volunteer Team have won two out of only three awards to be made in Somerset – and are delighted to be able to talk about it, after weeks of keeping the news under wraps.

Created in 2002 to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, these are the highest awards given to local volunteer groups across the UK, recognising the outstanding work they do in their communities.

The winners are announced each year on June 2, the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation, and will receive their awards later this year, from Lord Lieutenant of Somerset Annie Maw, the Queen’s personal representative in the county.

“It is a reminder how we have amongst us in our community the most remarkable, generous-spirited people on whom we depend,” she said.

“My warmest congratulations go to them all.”

The winners have already been celebrating the good news, with two people from each group attending a garden party at Buckingham Palace on May 15.

“I felt absolutely delighted when I heard, our volunteers work above and beyond,” said Clare Pound, manager of Minehead based Home-Start West Somerset.

“It’s a wonderful accolade for 16 years of hard work.”

outings.

And Phoenix Centre chairman Eddie May said the hardest part of winning the award was keeping it quiet for a month, with not even the trustees knowing until last week: “We’ll definitely have a celebration!”