Volunteers from across the Welwyn Hatfield borough enjoyed a special afternoon tea.
Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council organised an event of celebration at Mill Green Watermill and Museum on Friday (June 7) to mark the 40th anniversary of Volunteers' Week.
The week not only aims to inspire more people to get involved, but it also honours those who make contributions to their communities through volunteering.
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Following last year's event, the council welcomed volunteers of all ages nominated by various organisations, including H’arts In Mind, Food Rescue Hub, and Platypus Swimming Club.
From 1pm, the attendees enjoyed a drinks reception on Mill Green lawn followed by afternoon tea, live music and a display of nomination submitted by community organisations before wrapping up with an optional private Watermill tour.
The formal introduction came from the deputy mayor of Welwyn Hatfield, Cllr Lynn Chesterman OBE, who spoke with the volunteers throughout the day.
The event was also attended by chief executive of the council, Ka Ng, who expressed her appreciation of the volunteers' continued work.
Musical entertainment was courtesy of Welwyn musician Daisy Pringle.
The afternoon also included interactive games – one of which was a word challenge using scrabble letters to make words associated with volunteering.
The day ended with every attendee being awarded a certificate for their hard work.
Cllr Chesterman said: "It was wonderful to speak to volunteers about all the different types of work they do, all of which benefits our community in a myriad of ways.
"It was humbling to see how enthusiastically they go about this work.
"They are all an inspiration, and I am so pleased that we could recognise them in this way.
"I would encourage anyone with a bit of spare time to get involved in volunteering if they can, as it is so rewarding yet such a vital role to play."
Those interested in exploring volunteering opportunities in Welwyn Hatfield can visit the council website (https://one.welhat.gov.uk/) and search ‘volunteering’.
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