Louis Rigby crowned St Helens' Longest Serving Volunteer

Organised by St Helens Citizens Advice, with Halton and St Helens VCA, the event celebrated the great work of volunteers across the borough and thank them for their great work and precious time they give up to help others.

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BBC North West Tonight presenter Roger Johnson was at the town hall to present awards to all nominated volunteers.

Meanwhile, Louis Rigby was crowned the winner of the St Helens Longest Serving Volunteer Award for his ongoing 67 years' service for the YMCA.

Meanwhile, Diane Roberts won a special recognition award for her work with the 8th St Thomas Brownies.

Louis Rigby

Before presenting the main award, Roger read a description of Louis' volunteering history.

In it, he said: "(Louis) started volunteering in 1952 as a schoolboy and has dedication to the organisation has enabled them to provide a variety of support to the community in that time.

"He was instrumental in ensuring the continued success of the YMCA St Helens in supporting homeless people within the borough, including the ongoing improvements to both services and accommodation.

"This has seen them develop three stages of accommodation from fully supported to semi-supported to independent accommodation and more recently to remodel their first stage accommodation provision.

"As a trustee and committee member he was involved in the expansion of the YMCA as a provider of services to young people and was directly involved in the development of the Beacon programme from its inception to completion.

"This enables them to offer a form of childcare facilities and more recently the Y Sports Programme to young people in the borough of St Helens."

In his nomination, Louis was described as "a true inspiration, starting out as a volunteer in the youth clubs with sports and activities to now being president.

"He's made volunteering a part of his life and we are so grateful for all that he has achieved".

After receiving his award, Louis, 81, said: "It is an award for the YMCA, it's not for me.

"It has been my life. I will keep going as long as they want me, as president I'm there more as a figurehead now."

Other nominated volunteers were: Margaret Batten (St Helens Hospital); Lesley Conway (Change Grow Live); Rob Davies (Willowbrook Hospice); Liz Devine (Change Grow Live); Marlene Downey (Friends of St Helens Cemetery); Mark Farnworth (St Helens Advanced Motorists); Peter Gibson (St Helens Citizens Advice); Lisa Harrington (Change Grow Live); William David Leigh (St Helens & Knowsley NHS Hospitals Trust); Graham Makin (8th St Helens Scouts); Betty Mather (Citizens Advice and Willowbrook); Bernadine McCormack (St Helens Mind); Janet Norton (Apex Charitable Trust); John Pilkington (Change Grow Live); Janet Pye (St Helens Citizens Advice); James Rigby (Hope Centre at Hope House); Russell Smith (St Helens Citizens Advice); Sheila Smith (Willowbrook); Colette Stanton (Change Grow Live); Kath Whiting (Home-Start St Helens)