The value of charity work IT came as no surprise to those familiar with its work that the Brentor-based charity, Country Holidays for Inner City Kids (CHICKS), has been presented with the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service. This award, the highest that can be bestowed upon UK volunteer groups, is given in recognition of organisations which carry out exceptional not-for-profit work for the good of communities at both local and national level. In the case of CHICKS, the Queen's Award was presented for the sterling work the charity has done for young people throughout the country since 1992. As a vice president of the North Devon Hospice, which I am delighted to have as my 'MP's Charity', and through the visits I have made to hundreds of similarly benevolent organisations across Torridge and West Devon, I know first-hand how vital the tireless efforts of charities are in safeguarding those in our society who most need our help. No award in existence could truly do justice to the immense role charities have to play in what remain difficult times for our country, but the fact that one of our finest and most deserving local projects, CHICKS, has received the highest voluntary service award in the land is certainly to be applauded. We could all learn from the example set by the hardworking and compassionate volunteers at CHICKS. I would strongly urge anyone who is not doing so already to ask themselves what cause it is that they feel most passionately about — whether that is providing support for young people, the elderly or even animals — and look into what they could do to further it. Volunteering for a charity that is close to your heart means that you will be playing an active role in improving the lives of your most vulnerable neighbours, and there is no greater satisfaction than that.