Royal accolade for caring volunteers

NEWHAVEN proved it is a caring town after two charities were recognised with a prestigious award.

The Breakout Centre, run by Crossover, and the Castle Hill Conservation Group have both received a Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, equivalent to an MBE, for their work in the community.

Only four groups were honoured in East Sussex.

Crossover is a Christian organisation which works with disadvantaged members of the community, helping them in their every day life.

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The Breakout Community Centre in Newhaven Square, on the site of the old Friday-Ad shop, plays host to various events such as coffee mornings, acts as a youth centre, a book shop and provides a headquarters for the charity.

The Castle Hill Group is a conservation body set up to create the Castle Hill nature reserve and now manages the reserve.

Chairman of the group, Cllr Graham Amy, who is also town mayor, said: 'Obviously, we are absolutely delighted.

'The group has put in a lot of hard work over the last seven years. To receive this award is absolutely the icing on the cake.

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'It has given us an incentive to carry on the work and, hopefully, one day we will expand to the other green spaces in the town.'

Speaking as the mayor, Cllr Amy congratulated Crossover on their award and said: 'We are very proud to have two winners in Newhaven out of 79 in the whole country.

'It is an absolutely amazing achievement and a credit to the volunteers in the town.'

Phil Hope, government Minister for the Third Sector, said: 'The people of the South-East are very lucky to have such diligent groups providing valuable services across the region, and the government is working hard

to ensure that volunteers have the support they need.'

For details of all this year's winners and information on how to nominate a group, visit www.queensawardvoluntary.gov.uk