HEALTH volunteers in Teignmouth have been praised for their efforts helping a national research programme into the long-term effects of Covid.

One of those involved in the work by the award-winning Volunteering In Health is mayor, Cllr Peter Williams.

Peter has suffered two bouts of the virus and is now living with long Covid.

He is full of praise for the team.

He said: ‘I am trying to continue with my life day by day. I think you have to have a very positive attitude and keep going.

‘Chloe Myers and her team at Volunteering in Health have been a fantastic help to me and I can’t praise them enough. They are also part of the research that will help so many people as well.’

Their research is looking into how to help patients suffering with long Covid.

Peter’s praise comes after the charity, based at Teignmouth Hospital, won the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. The award was presented at a ceremony held at Bitton House.

More than 60 trustees, staff and volunteers attended the event to celebrate the achievement, including several who had helped set up the charity more than 10 years ago.

Since 2009, Volunteering in Health has worked closely with the local statutory sector to support people to live more independently, empowering people to make long term changes to improve their health and wellbeing.

The ceremony was hosted by the chairman of trustees Alwyn Oakley who introduced Ruth Cole, a volunteer, who talked about how she joined the charity.

Ruth won a Mayor’s Recognition award last year which she was unable to collect due to the pandemic.

Deputy Lord Lieutenants for Devon, Robin Barlow and Gordon Evans, presented the award to volunteer driver Richard Winterton and volunteer befriender Nesha Baker.

Robin had personally assessed Volunteering in Health and explained just how impressed he was with their work, making particular mention of the research they had been involved in and which itself has recently won an Emerald Literati Award for Outstanding Paper.

Special mention was made of volunteer driver Peter Ward who was awarded the British Empire Medal earlier this year as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours and Julie Dingley, who won a Teignbridge Council award for personal achievement.

Peter said: ‘I’m just a small cog in a very big wheel and I feel very honoured and privileged and proud.’

Richard joined the charity in 2013 and is the go-to wheelchair vehicle driver as well as taking on telephone befriending during the lockdowns.

Nesha joined in 2014 and has built up close relationships with two women.

Alwyn said: ‘We are delighted that our work supporting people in Teignbridge has been recognised. Our skilled staff and volunteers are committed and caring individuals and I am proud to be part of this community.’

Mayor Williams said the organisation is helping so many people. He is suffering from long Covid and the symptoms vary from muscle pain, shortness of breath, fatigue and ‘brain fog’.

He said sufferers are struggling because they can’t get financial support and don’t qualify for sick pay.

Peter, who run his own business, says he has staff who depend on him but in the early days, he could hardly walk 50 yards. He said there are 12 long Covid sufferers in the group who talk via Zoom every week to discuss their symptoms and to get advice how to manage their condition.