Volunteers from a Dudley borough charity will join more than a thousand volunteers from across the region at a celebration event this Sunday.

Champions Community Trust volunteers were invited to the special event at the Birmingham Hippodrome after being selected for a King’s Award for Voluntary Service.

For the last eleven years, the charity has been serving free hot meals to people who are lonely and vulnerable from its base at St Michael’s Church, Brierley Hill

The Lord-Lieutenant for the West Midlands, Sir John Crabtree OBE along with local mayors and dignitaries from the West Midlands, will be there to present awards and certificates and to highlight the wonderful support volunteers provide to communities across the region. Kevin O’Keefe, chief executive at Dudley Council, said:

“This year we are marking the 50th anniversary of the West Midlands region and of Dudley borough Council.

“I’m delighted that the incredible and dedicated volunteers from the Champions Community Trust are to receive the King’s Award for Voluntary Service on this special anniversary year.

“We know volunteers are the bedrock of our communities, which is why I would like to add my personal thanks to this group and the many others who sacrifice their own time to help those in need.

“The Champions Community Trust does such important work, but we know the meals they serve are just a first step in helping people who are lonely or vulnerable. It also helps people to connect with others and signposts to vital support services.”

The Lord-Lieutenant for the West Midlands, Sir John Crabtree OBE, added: “It is terrific to discover how many groups in this region go beyond what’s expected to provide so much help to others.

“The organisations this year have excelled in offering services to others that simply would not exist if it weren’t for the volunteers who are passionate about making a difference to so many lives.

“There is a tremendous amount of kindness and caring for vulnerable people, whether it be for those with mental health issues, many dealing with grief or in need in crisis situations or just simply wanting to be with people to connect over a coffee.

“Quite a number of the volunteers have benefited from help in the past and now want to help others in the same way they were helped, which is wonderful.”