Dedicated charity volunteer Sheila Shields has been rewarded for her 20 years of running a community charity shop with a heroes award.

Sheila, 82, of Meden Vale, opened the Charity Shop in the village 20 years ago were her twin sister, Ann, and three other ladies.

Now she has received the Nottinghamshire County Council Community Heroes Award ­— the last to be presented by chairman Coun Sue Saddington.

Sheila, a former parish and district councillor, said the award showed community spirit was alive and kicking in the village.

The Meden Charitable Fund Charity Shop, on Ossington Close, began when the sisters applied for a Coalfield Regeneration Trust grant, which they used to buy the shop.

Volunteer collect unwanted and unused items from residents and sell them to raise funds for a range of facilities across the village.

A doctors’ surgery, sports clubs, school and old people’s centre have been among the beneficiaries.

The Charity Shop, which has become the hub of the village, also serves tea and coffee ­— and gives villagers the chance to meet up for a chat.

All funds raised there are used solely for the benefit of the village.

Coun Saddington said the chairman’s Community Heroes award, which is presented every few months, provided an opportunity to raise the profile of community champions in local areas right across the county.

“There are so many people who do a tremendous amount of work which doesn’t get recognised, so these awards seek to address that,” she said.

“It also gives me a chance to say a big thank you to the chosen nominee for everything they do. This is the last Community Hero Award which I will present as chairman, so I would like to end my term of office by saying thank you to our wonderful and inspiring unsung heroes in this way.”