A LOCAL charity has been awarded the highest accolade a volunteer group can attain.

The Borders Children’s Charity received the Queens Award for Voluntary Services (QAVS), which is known as the MBE for organisations.

The group works with social workers, healthcare and education professionals across the region who make requests for funding on behalf of children in the area. 

It provides beds, bedding, clothing and shoes and also funds activities and school trips for children in dire circumstances who would otherwise not be able to afford them, as well as specialist equipment and support for children with heath problems and disabilities.

And The charity is just one of 17 in Scotland to collect the award this year.

Spokesperson Cat Macdonald-Home said: “The Borders Children’s Charity has now been running for 51 years, helping children in physical, emotional and financial distress across the Scottish Borders. 

“It has always been a charity staffed entirely by volunteers. This is the reason that over 99 per cent of every penny raised can go directly to help children in the Scottish Borders. It is a very great honour for the efforts of the committee of volunteers to be recognised in this way.”

The QAVS was launched in 2002 to mark the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and each year the winners are announced on June 2, marking the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation.