‘Blown away’ - Jarrow foodbank receives The King’s Award for Voluntary Service

The team at Bede’s Helping Hands, on Glasgow Road, in Jarrow have expressed their joy after the foodbank was awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service .

The award is the highest that can be given to a local voluntary group in the UK and is the equivalent to an MBE.

Dedicated volunteers at Bede’s Helping Hands work tirelessly alongside other organisations to combat poverty and hunger across South Tyneside.

Tracy Beaton, founder of Bede’s Helping Hands, dedicated the award to the foodbank’s volunteers for their work in helping to achieve it.

She said: “We are absolutely blown away receiving this prestigious award.

“The dedication our team has shown over the years, allows us to continue to fulfil our mission in serving and supporting our community, I cannot praise my volunteers enough.”

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Lucy Winskell OBE, the Lord-Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear, will present the Bede’s Helping Hands team with an award crystal and certificate to commemorate the achievement.

Two members of the team will also be invited to attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May and June next year alongside the other recipients of the award.

Bede’s Helping Hands is one of 281 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups across the country to receive the prestigious award., with recipients announced annually on November 14, The King’s Birthday.

You can follow the work that Bede’s Helping Hands carries out by visiting: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bedeshelpinghands.