Volunteers who safeguard Surrey’s playing fields have been recognised by an award from the Queen.

Surrey Playing Fields Association has been awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS) – an award the group’s development officer for Epsom and Ewell Borough Andrew Tibble described as the “MBE for volunteer groups”.

The award, created by the Queen in 2002 to mark her Golden Jubilee, recognises excellence in voluntary activities carried out by community groups. It comes with a signed certificate from the Queen, and English crystal and permission to use the QAVS logo.

The group’s chairman Gerry Ceaser said: “It is a tremendous achievement for all of us and we hope that everyone involved, and particularly our dedicated volunteers and all the local sports clubs in the county, feel immensely proud of the recognition that this award represents.”

The award comes in the charity’s 90th anniversary year. Surrey Playing Fields Association gives bursaries to young people and small grants to sports clubs and loans for larger projects.

For more information, visit surreyplayingfields.co.uk