TWO West Devon voluntary services enjoyed an afternoon of celebration recently after being presented with the volunteering equivalent of an MBE.

The Bere Ferrers Community Shop and Café and Yelvercare were among eight voluntary services presented with the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service by the Queen's representative in Devon, the Lord Lieutenant Eric Dancer, during the afternoon hosted by Devon County Council.

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

The shop is a community focal point and respected for its quality of products. The project is self-sufficient and even generates surplus that flows to support other community projects.

Yelvercare is a community volunteer organisation with the aim of offering help to anyone within Yelverton and surrounding villages, mainly people who value help with many of the things more active people take for granted.

Tasks are varied but include hospital trips, shopping, attending the hairdressers, dog walking, visiting and reading mail to the blind as well as many others.

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

Lord Lieutenant Eric Dancer said: 'Eight Queens Awards for Voluntary Service, a record number, speak volumes for the strength and value of the voluntary sector in Devon as well as giving national recognition to the marvellous achievements of this year's award winners.'