TWO West Devon organisations have received recognition from the Queen for their voluntary services in the area.

Yelvercare and Bere Ferrers Community Shop and Café are among the 120 organisations from across the UK that will receive the royal seal of approval next month when they will be honoured with the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service.

The accolade is the highest award given to volunteer groups and is equivalent to an MBE.

The award sets the benchmark for excellence in volunteering, and each year celebrates the outstanding achievement by groups of volunteers who regularly devote their time to helping others in the community, improving the quality of life and providing opportunities for others.

Yelvercare offers help to anyone within Yelverton and surrounding villages.?This area has a number of remote homes and an ageing population, leading to a large number of residents who value help with many of the things more active people take for granted such as attending hospital appointments, shopping and visiting the hairdressers. Tasks are varied but as well as transport, volunteers have helped with dog walking, visiting and reading mail to the blind.

With 120 volunteers, many long serving, and no paid staff, it completed 650 tasks last year and currently has some 95 beneficiaries.

The Bere Ferrers Community Shop and Café was set up by a group of villagers in 2006 when the last village shop closed.

Since then the shop and café has proved to be a great success.

It has strong support from villagers, is a community focal point and is respected for the quality of the products, most of them locally produced. 

The project is self-sufficient and and even generates a surplus that flows to support other community projects.

The two community groups will be presented with their awards at a ceremony in Exeter on July 24 by the Lord Lieutenant of Devon.

They will also receive a certificate signed by the Queen and will be entitled to use the crown logo on any stationary or promotional material they use.