A registration scheme run by the council and Merton Volunteer Centre is to give hard-working volunteers the chance to win cash prizes just for entering their details online.

The council wants to know how many people in the borough devote their time and energy to helping others. It is encouraging everyone over 16 who volunteers for at least 100 hours per year to register their name and organisation at www.merton.gov.uk/ivolunteer.

A prize draw will be held once 1,550 people have registered. Lucky volunteers can scoop indiviudal prizes of £500, £100 and £50, with extra prizes of £1,000, £750 and £500 for their organisation.

The competition is open to anyone who has completed at least a year of volunteering between April 2007 and March 2010.

The council cabinet member responsible, Councillor Henry Nelless said: “It is helpful for the council to know how many volunteers there are in the borough so that it can encourage and support volunteering even more in the future."