HARD-WORKING volunteers at a Biggar Museum have been recognised with an award to mark their long-standing commitment.

The Queen’s Award for Volunteers, the most respected award of its kind, was presented at an evening gathering at the Biggar & Upper Clydesdale Museum on Wednesday, August 9.

Lady Haughey, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire, described the award as the ‘equivalent of the MBE for volunteering’, before presenting a certificate signed by Her Majesty along with an engraved glass trophy to Blane Duncan and June Irwin.

Blane has had the responsibility for maintaining the museum’s buildings for many years while June works on the museum archives as well as front of house and the museum shop.

James Dawnay, chairman of the Biggar Museum Trust said: “On behalf of everyone, I’d like to thank Lady Haughey for reiterating the enormous importance of over 50 local volunteers, without whose commitment the museum would be unable to function.

“Their work covers everything from conservation and cataloguing of the extensive collections, fundraising and finance, accounting, ongoing building maintenance, special events and outreach educational programmes as well as the all-important front counter, shop and a host of other tasks.”

For more details, visit: www.biggarmuseumtrust.co.uk