Dorset and BCP Home Library Service (HLS) has been awarded one of 13 High Sheriff Awards at a ceremony in Poundbury recently. The Dorset and BCP HLS is a service offered by Royal Voluntary Service, a leading charity which helps communities to thrive through the power of volunteering.
High Sheriff Anthony Woodhouse, who presented the award, said: “Royal Voluntary Service is an exceptional charity that brings the library service to anybody who can no longer reach their local facility. Not only does the Home Library Service enable people to continue to access the joy of reading for longer, but it also provides an important antidote to feelings of loneliness and isolation.”
The award was presented to Maria Jacobson, the service manager for Dorset and BCP Home Library Service, who expressed the organisation’s surprise and delight at being chosen for the special award.
Mrs Jacobson said, “I am here representing our 250 volunteers across the area who provide this important service to almost 800 people in our community who are unable to access their local library, choosing and delivering books every month. This is a free service, combining the delivery of individually chosen books with a much-anticipated visit by a trusted volunteer. We are not well-known despite our reach, and this special recognition means a lot to us and will no doubt help us to spread the word and reach many more people across Dorset and BCP.”
To find out more about the Home Library Service and how to sign up as a reader, please contact Maria Jacobson on 01305 236666 or e-mail maria.jacobson@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk.
