A DEVON charity is to receive the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services, for outstanding work throughout the coronavirus pandemic. 

Westbank Neighbourhood Friends help to keep vulnerable or frail adults out of hospital, or to have shorter hospital stays.

The charity matches volunteers with people who need assistance, so that they are able to get out of hospital and back home as soon as possible.

During the pandemic, their volunteers provided support to more than 2,030 patients across the Exeter, East and Mid Devon area.

Among other support, the charity moved beds to make way for hospital beds and equipment at home. They installed key safes so that carers could gain access. And they also provided company and warm drinks to patients following a stay in hospital.

It meant in some cases that people didn’t need to go into hospital, and for others, they were able to get home sooner because they’d had help from the volunteers to get things ready for their return.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award for voluntary groups in the UK.

Westbank Neighbourhood Friends will receive the award and certificate from the Lord-Lieutenant of Devon, David Fursdon, later this summer.

Nina Parnell, Westbank Head of Volunteering and Community Support said: “We are incredibly proud that our Neighbourhood Friends project has been recognised with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, and pay tribute to the dedication, hard work and commitment of our truly deserving team of volunteers.”