STAFF at a children's hospice have been praised for their dedication and long service at a special awards ceremony at Sweeney Hall.

Hope House held an afternoon tea at the venue near Oswestry, where members of staff were awarded with a certificate and gift in recognition of their long service supporting seriously ill children and their families.

Chairman of trustees Steve Henley said: "The fact our staff have chosen to remain with the organisation is a reflection on how much they enjoy and value the work we do and seeing the difference we make.

"I would like to say a huge thank you for all the hard work those staff have put in over the years, it really is a great testament to our wonderful organisation."

There were five staff members receiving their 25 year awards, four getting 20 year awards and nine who have been with the charity for a decade, meaning the event recognised a total of 295 years of collective service.

Mr Henley added: "It is also a reflection on how much they enjoy working with colleagues as part of such a special team.

"When I talk to the children, their parents, siblings and grandparents, many tell me they don’t know where they would be without Hope House and Ty Gobaith."

"When they say that they aren’t talking about the bricks and mortar or the equipment, they mean the people who make a real positive difference to their lives and have done so for many years." he said.

"It’s the people that make Hope House and Ty Gobaith Children’s Hospices what it is."