OKEHAMPTON's busy Volunteer Bureau is celebrating a cash boost and prestigious plaque, presented to staff after winning a top award in a national scheme.

The bureau was presented with the £800 cheque at the British Airways Flying High Awards ceremony in Birmingham — one of just three Volunteer Bureaux organisations nationally to receive recognition and the only branch in Devon to be named a prize-winner.

Manager Carmel Fanconi said she and her staff were 'really chuffed' with the award — and the all-important cheque.

Carmel said the money would pay for a well-designed colour brochure aimed at encouraging people to become volunteers.

It will be given to all estate agents in the district, who have agreed to send the brochure out with their normal mailings to people looking to move into the area.

'We aim to show how attractive volunteering can be, for joining into a community quickly, and to help the community to access the skills of the retired, and helping people moving into the area with children to know what's available,' said Carmel.

'I rang every single estate agent and without exception they agreed to it. I like the combination and partnership of business and the voluntary sector — I think it's going to be great.'

The new local plan for Okehampton includes some 800 extra houses — Carmel said it was important to attract the skills and enthusiasm of all new arrivals to the area.

The Okehampton bureau supplies volunteers to around 130 groups in the area and takes on between 80 and 100 people annually.

She said there were already around 100 different volunteering opportunities available in the Okehampton area — and yet funding was a constant struggle.

'I think £800 will go very quickly!' she said.

There are three categories of Flying High awards, for partnership, social inclusion and development. Okehampton CVS won the largest prize, for development.

The award recognises creativity and innovation and Volunteer Bureaux from all over the country were invited to submit projects which increased the quantity or quality of volunteering in their area.