TWENTY volunteers who devote time and energy to helping good causes in the Lenton area have been commended for their efforts at an annual awards ceremony.

Six local organisations also picked up accolades at the event organised by the Dunkirk and Lenton Partnership Forum.

People of all ages received certificates and chocolates for their hard work including 18 year-old Elisha Richardson who volunteers at Activ8 Uth based at the Lenton Centre.

She helps run four youth sessions a week – from sports sessions and arts and crafts to more traditional youth club-style nights.

"When I was 16 I started volunteering," said Elisha, who lives in the Broxtowe Estate.

"I really wanted to work with children with disabilities and i want to go into youth work and volunteering is a really good way to get into that."

Meanwhile 75 year-old Anthony Wealthall was awarded for his commitment to gardening in the community, at the event at the Dunkirk and Old Lenton Community Centre in Montpelier Road.

Mr Wealthall, who lives in the Lenton Flats off Willoughby Street, has created and maintained communal garden spaces outside the flats for about 10 years.

Nottingham City Council has now put a bench there.

"People can sit there in the summer and people say they like it," he said.

The Crocus Cafe picked up an award alongside Big Breakfast, which provides free breakfasts on Thursdays at the Thomas Helwys Baptist Church in Lenton, and Tommy's, which provides a lunch club at the church on Mondays to Wednesdays.

Khaled Belgasmi, 24, who volunteers at the Crocus Cafe in Church Square, said it had a great community atmosphere.

"You get a really great variety of people there – students and locals," he said.

Similarly, Brenda Seaton of Big Breakfast, said: "It was set up so everyone could get to know each other in Lenton."

One thing all three venues have in common is volunteers. They all rely on the hard work and devotion of dozens of people who keep them going.

Christine Batchelor, the co-ordinator of Tommy's, said: "The work they do is vital. I couldn't run Tommy's without them."

Robert Johnson and Sue Jarvis, both 50, were also presented awards for the work they do with Disability Direct, an advice and information service in Lenton.

Ms Jarvis added: "I enjoy it very much, it's a great way to get out socialising, it's a good way of keeping up with my administration skills too while I'm looking for employment."

A group of volunteers from Nottingham Rotaract were there to collect their award for commitment as a community group.

As well as raising funds for various charities, 25 year-old volunteer Lucy Killoch from Gamston said it was very sociable and had introduced her to things she may never have tried otherwise – like taking BMX bikes on tracks.

Other people who received awards for volunteering included June Kirk, Sally-Anne Ralph, Michael Gillie, Betty Sheldon, Theresa East, Alf Steigler, Seaton Wallace, Dr Audrey Fessler and the late Professor Harry Fessler, Zenn Athar, Tom West, Neana Lawson, John Hills, Aaron Stuart, Ian Conway and Alyn Mullholland.