OUTSTANDING volunteers who have made a big difference to their communities were rewarded for their efforts at a presentation ceremony in Southampton.

Winners gathered at the Hilton Hotel, Chilworth, to pick up their Nationwide Building Society Awards for Voluntary Endeavour.

Eileen Wells, 80, of Thorness Bay, Isle of Wight, was recognised for more than 40 years of tireless fundraising for research into muscular dystrophy.

She has also raised cash to buy special beds, electric wheelchairs and lifts for muscular dystrophy sufferers on the Island. She started the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign group when her son was diagnosed with the condition.

The Steering Group Pavilion Project at East Cowes, Isle of Wight, also won an award for running a young people's club.

Seventy youngsters attend in a deprived area with drug and alcohol abuse problems. Other adult award-winners were Paul Chick, who runs a young people's kart racing project in Dorchester, Dorset, and the National Coastwatch Institution at Portland Bill, Dorset, which keeps a lookout 365 days a year along one of Britain's most dangerous coastlines.

Youth awards went to Darren Grover, 17, of South Heighton, East Sussex, and Alice Dale, 17, of Poole, Dorset, who volunteer for a head and neck cancer charity and a Brownie pack.

Youthability Volunteers from Heathfield, East Sussex, and Woodingdean Junior Leaders from Brighton also collected awards.

Judges were Nationwide manager Graham Milner, Daily Echo assistant news editor David Brine and Joanna Wootten from the National Council of Voluntary Organisations.