The 13-strong team, based at Arcadia House on Market Street, Barnsley, has been put forward in the Volunteer of the Year category by line manager Julie Butcher. She said between them the volunteers have more than 75 years’ service. Barnsley Victim Support was set up in the early 1980s and Julie said it has remained ‘an invaluable organisation’ for people who have been victims of crime in the borough.

It provides a community-based service, which offers support to people in their own homes or in the office to deal with the crime they have been a victim of.  It also provides a witness service based at Barnsley Magistrates’ Court which supports people who are attending court as victims, or witnesses of crime.

Julie said: “Both the community and witness services are staffed solely by volunteers.

“Paid staff run the office and allocate cases but all the support is done by volunteers who tirelessly give up their own time in order to support people who have experienced crime.

“Victim Support Barnsley's volunteers are a dedicated team of 13 who are completely committed to providing an effective and life changing service to victims of a variety of crimes.

“As a team they work together to provide practical and emotional support to victims of crimes such as burglary, hate crime, domestic violence, sexual violence and antisocial behaviour.”

She said because the volunteer team provides ‘such an excellent service’ and people give their time free of charge, it was ‘impossible’ to nominate just one person.

While the organisation employs paid staff, it would not be possible to give anywhere near as effective a service to victims of crime were it not for the wealth of knowledge, experience and empathy these dedicated volunteers bring.

“This group has never been recognised outside the organisation and don’t blow their own trumpet.”