KENT has saluted its huge army of volunteers with a gala awards ceremony to honour the unsung heroes and heroines. With more than 300,000 volunteers county-wide, and some 350 nominations for this year’s Kent Volunteers Awards for Volunteering Excellence, the judges had a difficult task selecting the final 24 winners in eight categories.

The winners were from all walks of life and in all age groups. The oldest winner was 97-year-old Vera Wicks, from Margate, who has given her time freely to Age Concern over the last 30 years.

The awards, organised by Kent County Council in association with business and voluntary sectors, were announced in a special ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral Education Centre.

All winners received trophies and certificates from KCC chairman Christopher Thornton who said: “We have heard some amazing and humbling stories about the volunteers receiving awards. They are just a few of the many, many people who make a real difference to the daily lives of people here in Kent."

Winners included the Kids Cop Club, from Ashford, which has raised £3,000 for Kings B ward at the William Harvey Hospital; Ron Thurman from Northfleet, a youth leader since 1951; Elmley Visitors Centre on the Isle of Sheppey, which provides support for prisoners’ families; Quercus, a Maidstone-based drama group for the disabled; Joan Humphrey and Joan Griffin, from Tunbridge Wells, who have been volunteer librarians at the Kent and Sussex Hospital for 60 years and teenager, James Wilson, from Tunbridge Wells, who cares for a disabled lady who needs help with her day-to-day living.

There was a special posthumous award this year for the late Jim Peat, from Maidstone, presented to his widow, Margaret. Mr Peat started and ran Call Us, which provides practical help to vulnerable people.