Do you know a special volunteer who deserves a treat?

A call has gone out for nominations of dedicated volunteers to be invited to take afternoon tea with the Mayor of Darlington as part of a special celebration.

Wednesday, 13 September marks 150 years since Queen Victoria granted Darlington a Charter of Incorporation. This saw the foundation of the first local authority in the town, eventually resulting in the formation of the present Darlington Borough Council.

A series of events are being planned to mark the 150th anniversary of this piece of history. For example, the charter has been reframed and will be put on display in the Town Hall.

The Council wants to do something to recognise the generations of important contributions to the community – both large and small – made by volunteers at countless organisations across the borough.

With that in mind, the Mayor of Darlington, Councillor Jan Taylor, will host an afternoon tea for some of the town’s most selfless volunteers, at Central Hall, in the autumn.

A letter has gone out to voluntary and community sector organisations, inviting them to submit the names of individuals they feel deserve special recognition.

To ensure no one is missed out, the Council is also appealing for nominations from members of the public and people representing charities and other organisations.

Councillor Jan Taylor, Mayor of Darlington, said: “Do you know someone who volunteers in their community and deserves a special treat? Maybe they have volunteered for a significant length of time, or their contribution or achievement is outstanding for some other reason.

“With so many voluntary and community organisations doing such great work in Darlington, we know that choosing which individuals to nominate may not be an easy task.”

Invites will be sent out once all the nominations have been collected.

If you would like to nominate someone, please gather the name and address of the nominee, your name and the name of your organisation, as well as a description, in no more than 200 words, of why you believe this person should be honoured.

Send your nominations to Shirley Burton, Democratic Manager, Neighbourhood Services and Resources, Darlington Borough Council, Town Hall, Darlington DL1 5QT. Nominations can also be emailed to [email protected]