Award honours for volunteers' group (From Penarth Times)

Award honours for volunteers' group

A PENARTH-BASED voluntary organisation took away the Dow Corning Community Award at the inaugural Vale Voluntary Sector Awards.

East Vale Community Transport (EVCT) beat off 25 competitors to win the award in the Community Award Section.

Margaret Read, chair of the Board of Trustees, said: "I think the fact that we aim to serve the whole of the community helped to seal it for us. Our 45 members include a wide range of organisations including primary schools and youth groups as well as those assisting the disabled and the elderly."

EVCT serves the whole of the eastern Vale and has member organisations in Barry, Penarth, Llandough, Sully and Dinas Powys.

The award ceremony was hosted by ITV Wales presenter Arfon Haines-Davies.

The main sponsors were the Lottery Fund, the Vale of Glamorgan Council and IT-firm Algebra.

EVCT, founded in 1986, is run from West House in Penarth.

Membership is open to all groups and individuals in the East Vale area.

EVCT has two 12-seater adapted minibuses which can carry up to three wheelchairs.

Margaret Read said: "All our drivers are volunteers and we can never get enough people to help. So if you have some spare time on your hands and would like to make a positive contribution to the community please don't hesitate to get in touch."

Over the Christmas period, EVCT has been running trips from the Vale to Cardiff to allow care-home residents to see the Christmas lights.