Volunteer Edna (99) among volunteer winners

She regularly washes, steams and irons clothes donated to the charity — and insists: “It’s nothing special.”

Edna was among those honoured at the Voluntary Action Rotherham Awards 2015 at the Carlton Park Hotel last Friday.

The night showcased all those who make the borough a great place to live and carry out work for the benefit of others.

The winners were Julia Bodorova (young volunteer under 25), Phil Bowers (volunteer) and Tassibee (project).

Around 40 individuals and groups were nominated for the three categories and judges Age UK board trustee Peter Broxham, Rotherham Together partnership manager Carole Haywood and Advertiser editor Andrew Mosley narrowed them down to a final three, for which videos were made and shown on the night.

Originally from Slovakia, Julia Bodorova volunteers for RMAARI, an organisation which supports young people from new migrant communities to engage with the local community.

She has helped in the development of a girls’ football team and volunteered for youth club sessions and Ministry of Food cookery lessons.

Judges said: “Julia is a true ambassador and inspiration to other young women, she is motivated, enthusiastic and goes out of her way to communicate and work with the Roma/Slovak community in Eastwood.”

Runners-up were Toni Paxford, who volunteers for the Rotherham Youth Cabinet and set up the Other Person’s Shoes community cohesion project, and Emily Taylor, who is a community first responder for Yorkshire Ambulance Service.

Volunteer winner Phil Bowers is a community safety volunteer with South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, working with the deaf community. He and his wife adopted Joe after he suffered severe burns in a house fire at 18 months old.

Runners-up were Brian Button, chairman of Active Independence, which provides support to disabled and older people, their careers and families, and Cath McCartan, a volunteer with the Big Local in Thurcroft, which organises events, activities and trips, and runs an advice shop for residents.

Project winner Tassibee helps isolated and socially excluded Asian women, as well as those with mental health difficulties, offering advice, training and various projects.

Runners-up were Freda Brooks’ Environmentalist Litter Pickers, a group of around 19 children who keep Maltby’s Abbey Reach estate litter-free, and Rotherham Dementia Alliance, which helps remove the stigma of the condition and works to create dementia friendly work and public places, as well as supporting individuals, their careers and families.

Entertainment was provided by Rotherham Teachers’ Student Academy and compere, Rother FM’s Michael Kilby-Scott, said: “Through my work with Rother FM, VAR and these awards, it has never ceased to amaze me how much some people are prepared to give in order to help others.

“There were many entries in all categories which are listed in tonight’s programme, so to be in a shortlist of three potential winners is an achievement in itself.”

Advertiser editor Andrew Mosley said: “The actual judging of the awards was incredibly difficult. After each one I was saying ‘that’s the winner’, then I’d read another and think ‘no, that’s the winner.’

“These people help out others, work tirelessly on behalf of their communities and strive to ensure Rotherham remains such a great place to live.” Sponsors were Morthyng Ltd, Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber, Irwin Mitchell and Age UK.