News

Lostwithiel resident and dedicated volunteer Frank Batchelor is one of 60 people in the South West to win a Diamond Champions Award, run by the charity WRVS and supported by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.

Over 620 volunteers, all aged over 60, from the South and South West were nominated. The winners will be presented with pins and certificates at the Marriott Hotel in Bristol on October 25th. At this celebration ten will be chosen from the 60 regional winners to join 70 others from across the UK at St James's Palace on November 29th, where they will meet Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.

Frank is on three NHS patients' forums in Plymouth, Exeter and Truro and is a volunteer for the WRVS Home Library Service. He also helps run the St Bartholomew's Saturday morning book sale and is involved in the Lostwithiel Forum. In addition he is on the committee for the Lerryn Community bus (LAMA) and is a volunteer driver.

This year he helped organise a Tea Dance to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, and in 2011 helped to run a 1940s themed day in Lostwithiel.

Frank claims that all his volunteering doesn't take much work, it's just a committment of time. He says modestly "I'm just a free agent. I like to be hands-on with volunteer work where I can. It enables me to meet people and volunteering obviously gives me a great deal of satisfaction".