VOLUNTARY groups from the county have been given awards by the Queen to recognise their outstanding work in the community.

Three groups have been given The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, which is the MBE for volunteer groups.

The Cart Shed has been recognised for transforming lives in Herefordshire by offering skills, friendship and a future to those in mental or physical distress.

The charity has a farm in Norton Canon and a wood in Almeley, where people can go to overcome and accept episodes in their lives they find difficult to live with.

They currently have 25 regular volunteers- several have been with the organisation since it began in 2011.

Katie Eastaugh, CEO, said: "It is with great pride we are able to announce that our volunteers have been awarded The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service; it is public recognition for the quiet and modest way they give so generously for no financial reward."

Mortimer Country Stores volunteers were awarded for providing an essential and friendly service to residents of a very rural community.

The shop in Wigmore is run by volunteers and a part-time manager, who support county producers by selling their goods alongside a range of other products.

Chairman of the management committee, Alvin Smith, said: "Not only do we love our community but we know that as we draw our volunteer staff from them that we are all part of the same group- not an inwardly looking but an outwardly facing set of people trying always to improve the facilities that we can offer. In this respect, we are sure that the recognition given by the Queen’s Award will spur us on to better service to may be a wider community."

And the Longtown Mountain Rescue team was given the award in recognition of its service to the public for saving lives in remote places for more than 50 years.

Mike Jones, of Longtown MRT, said: "It was a real honour to receive the award. It is in recognition of the work carried out by all the team’s members past and present and they should all be very proud.

"We couldn’t carry out our work without the support of the team’s families, and our many supporters. Thank you all for your tireless dedication over many years. I am so pleased that this has been granted such recognition today.”

The team is made up of highly trained volunteers from all walks of life and is on call 24/7. It is a registered charity and is dependent almost entirely on donations. The team covers an area from East Wales, through the Welsh borders and across Herefordshire

The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK and was created in 2002 to celebrate the anniversary of The Queen's coronation.