VOLUNTEERS who have given hundreds of hours to help others have been honoured.

Alex Holford, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, presented certificates and badges to 21 Ryedale Carers Support volunteers at a ceremony recently.

The volunteers have done more than 329 years of volunteering between them.

A spokesman for Ryedale Carers Support said: “Our charity has a wonderful team of volunteers who give a small bit of their time to visit people who need some extra help.

“People have said they can find caring for others emotionally exhausting and they often struggle to be able to get out and meet friends or just go for a walk.

“Having a volunteer for a couple of hours a week means they are able to catch with up with old friends and have something to look forward to.”

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer should phone 01751 432288 or visit ryedalecarers.org.uk