STAFF and volunteers at Pendleside Hospice were celebrating today after being awarded the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service.

They are one of only 103 voluntary groups in the country to be honoured with the award this year.

Pendleside was nominated for the award by David Peat, Chief Executive of Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Primary Care Trust, and by Kath Reade, chairwoman of Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority and former leader of Burnley Council.

On July 10 representatives of the hospice will attend a special ceremony at County Hall, Preston, where Lord Shuttleworth, the Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire, will present them with a certificate signed by the Queen and an inscribed piece of commemorative crystal.

Pendleside Hospice relies on volunteers, many of whom have been involved with helping the hospice since the charity began almost 18 yeas ago. Currently there are almost 450 people that regularly give up their time to help the Reedley based facility provide care to local people.

These comprise of 188 people working in the seven hospice shops, raising more than £250,000 per year, with the others helping with reception, administration, fund-raising, patient care, lottery collectors, drivers, gardeners and trustees.

The hospice provides specialist palliative care to local people suffering from cancer and other life limiting illnesses as well as providing much-needed support to their families.

The cost of providing care increases year on year in response to demand for services, with current annual running costs exceeding £1.5 million, of which, more than £1.2 million has to be raised from fundraising events and donations. Hospice chairman David Brown said: "This is a fantastic achievement and is a reflection of the huge amount of work put in by our volunteers to support and complement our paid staff. We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded this prestigious honour."

The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service is awarded annually to recognise excellence in voluntary activities by groups in the community. The Queen announced the Award in 2002 to mark her Golden Jubilee.