Volunteers who give up their time to provide support to staff at Sutton’s King’s Mill and Mansfield Community hospitals have been rewarded for their efforts at the Chairman’s Long Service Awards.

This year’s Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust recipients, who included volunteers at Newark Hospital, donated a total of 925 years of support.

A total of 85 were recognised for their commitment and long service, which ranged from five to 40 years.

The awards were presented in two ceremonies at the Oakham Suite, Mansfield.

Volunteers were presented with certificates and badges by trust chairman John MacDonald.

Members of the trust executive team, governors and staff also attended.

The longest-serving volunteers at King’s Mill were Stanley Pascoe, 81, of Forest Town, and Michael Shannon, 66, of Sutton, who have both volunteered for 30 years.

Stanley initially worked in the X-ray department at Mansfield General Hospital. He continues to assist the radiology team at King’s Mill.

He said: “It has been brilliant working for the trust for so long.

“I enjoy helping people and being part of the team.”

Michael, a Catholic eucharistic minister, supports the chaplaincy team by holding Holy Communion services on the wards and visiting patients.

“It is great to be able to help people and give them comfort when they need it the most,” he said.

“The chaplaincy team are brilliant to work with and it is great to give something back.”

The longest-serving volunteer at Mansfield Community Hospital was Sonia Tate, 70, of Mansfield, who has volunteered for 35 years.

Sonia, a retired midwife who has volunteered in the trust for 35 years, where she enjoys visiting patients on the wards, said: “I love what I do. It gives me the chance to help people.

“It’s nice to have the time to sit and talk to patients, and to make them feel at ease.”

John MacDonald said: “It was brilliant to attend the ceremonies and thank our wonderful volunteers for all their hard work.

“Our volunteers dedicate so much hard work, time and effort into the Trust, it was great to spend some time thanking them.”

PICTURED: Sonia Tate, centre, with Barbara Joule, Mansfield and Sutton League of Friends chairman and John MacDonald.