VOLUNTEERS from across East Ayrshire were celebrated at an annual event recently.

Vibrant Communities, a strand of East Ayrshire Council, hold the special event each year to recognise the children, young people and older adult befriending services as part of the wider National Befriending Week campaign run by Befriending Networks.

Dedicated volunteer befrienders who give their time to support children, young people and older adults in the communities were presented with a special certificate by provost Claire Leitch to thank them for their incredible efforts.

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Upon meeting the volunteers, provost Leitch said: “Thank you to all of our wonderful volunteers who support people of all ages across East Ayrshire.

"Giving their time, compassion and friendship literally has a huge impact on those they befriend.

“Befriending is also a mutually beneficial and purposeful relationship which can help to boost a person’s confidence, self-esteem and reduce loneliness, and I would urge anyone who has a few spare hours each week to consider volunteering and becoming a befriender.”

You can find out more about becoming a befriender by emailing Caroline.brown@east-ayrshire.gov.uk for children and young people’s befriending, or Wilma.love@east-ayrshire.gov.uk for the older adults service.