On Tuesday 10th September, Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant, the Dowager Countess of Darnley, presented a representative of the volunteers of Eardisland Community Shop with a domed glass crystal for the prestigious Queen's Award for Voluntary Service. The award is the equivalent to the MBE for individuals and is awarded to groups providing a service for people living in the local community.

The citation for the award was read out by Deputy Lord-Lieutenant, Lady McFarlane

A not-for-profit organisation, run totally by volunteers, with any profits ploughed back into local projects, Eardisland Community Shop opened it's doors for for business over 9 years ago and has gone from strength to strength providing a vital service to the village that lost its last shop many years ago.

The brain child of villagers who saw the need for a hub for the community, Mr Albert Sheffield and a working party, set about looking into the feasibility of the project. A suitable site was offered by the Dovecote Trust in the Georgian Dovecote and after many months of planning, the downstairs was converted into a workable premises.

Since then many volunteers, too many to mention individually, have helped keep this vital facility alive. The Eardisland Community Shop is very grateful to each and every one of them.

They would also like to thank the Eardisland Flower Guild for the beautiful floral displays in the church and the Rev. Julie Reed and the PCC for allowing the church to be used for the presentation.

Also in attendance were Vice Lord-lieutenant Mr Christopher James, Deputy Lord-Lieutenant Mr Paul Deneen, Councillor Mr Roger Phillips, Maryan Hanson, Chair of the Eardisland Parish Council and Mr James Miller, who submitted the original nomination.

The crystal award, along with a certificate signed by the Queen, is now proudly displayed in the Dovecote.