�A group of volunteers from Havering have been thanked for their work by Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

The volunteers from St Francis Hospice help out in shops, the In-Patient Unit and bereavement counselling. They went to City Hall to meet the mayor as part of his Year of the Volunteer initiative.

He previously sent Deputy Mayor Victoria Borwick on a fact-finding mission to the hospice, following which a group to represent the 800 volunteers was invited to City Hall.

Mr Johnson thanked everyone for their efforts and presented each volunteer with a certificate.

Pam Court, chief executive at St Francis Hospice, said: “I’m pleased that Mayor Johnson so readily recognises the debt we owe volunteers in many organisations throughout the UK.

“At St Francis Hospice, our volunteers are a vitally important part of our service.

“It was lovely to take time out to visit City Hall and to show our volunteers the importance of their contribution to Londoners and people living in South- West Essex.”