VOLUNTEERS in Meirionnydd have been presented with the highest award a voluntary group in the UK can receive for their work during the Covid crisis.
They have been recognised for their hard work during the pandemic, helping the elderly and vulnerable by delivering food parcels and prescriptions.
Volunteer Libby Catherwood said: “It’s unreal to get this award. When we heard we had been put forward for it we didn’t think we’d get it. It’s such a massive honour.
“A major reason we won the award was for the prescription service set up in the pandemic. That was Glyn Jones, our manager’s idea.”
Glyn told the Cambrian News he thought the award nomination was a ‘wind up’.
“I wasn’t aware we had been nominated for this and when I received a call about it I thought it was a joke and I asked the man at the end of the line if it was a wind up!
“When I set the group up in 2006 I never thought we would receive an honour like this.”
Glyn set up Barmouth’s first responders to help the over-stretched ambulance service. When lockdown hit, he sent the team out delivering prescriptions.
He said: “I thought it was one way we could help out a bit and that we’d have a few prescriptions to deliver, but we ended up delivering about 200 a day at the height of lockdown and it took six of us to deliver them over a seven hour period.
“I believe this is what we were nominated for.”
He added: “As well as delivering medication, we were also a face for people at the door, sometimes the only face some people had seen because of lockdown. We ended up doing some shopping, delivering bread and doing welfare checks.
“To have been nominated for this award shows how well thought of the team is in the town.”
The team received a certificate signed by the Queen, a glass award and individual badges.
They were presented by the Lord Lieutenant of Gwynedd at an award ceremony at the Min Y Mor Hotel in Barmouth.
Libby added: “We all want Glyn to keep the award and the certificate. He’s our manager and this was all his idea.”