A WEE COUNTY voluntary organisation has earned the highest accolade from Her Majesty.

Sauchie Community Group has been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, an achievement equal to an individual earning an MBE.

Delivering a full programme of activities each week, the team are looking to enhance community cohesion in the town.

The award was announced last month, on the anniversary of Her Majesty’s coronation and is the foremost accolade that can awarded to a group in the third sector.

Clackmannanshire’s Lord-Lieutenant Johnny Stewart presented the award last Thursday, June 28.

Craig Miller, co-manager of Sauchie Community Group, said he was over the moon to receive the honour.

He said: “Sauchie Community Group are absolutely delighted to be recognised for all the hard work put in by our volunteers over the past 25 years.

“It is an honour and a privilege to receive this, the highest award for volunteering in the UK.”

There are a range of activities and smaller groups available with the community group operating out of the Resource Centre, a former toilet block which they converted.

The accolade comes after other successes in recent years – members of the group have previously won Clackmannanshire Citizen of the Year awards while others have been finalists and Sauchie Community Group also won the best not-for-profit award at the Clackmannanshire Business Awards 2017.

Lord-Lieutenant Stewart, the monarch's representative in the Wee County, was full of praise for the work of Sauchie Community Group.

He added: “I am absolutely delighted that this group has won such a prestigious award for its work over the past 25 years.

“The work of the volunteers is outstanding and gives many highly vulnerable people new hope and motivation to feel valued.

“They are making a huge impact and are transforming lives of isolated older people, the unemployed, young people and the whole community.”

The group is one of 250 similar organisations to receive the award this year from across the UK.

The QAVS has been bestowed twice in the Wee County previously with the Tullibody History Group and The Gate earning the honour.

Nominations for next year are already open via qavs.direct.gov.uk and Lt Col Stewart hopes to see more Clacks organisations put forward by the deadline of September 14.