Aberdeen FC Community Trust has received the highest honour available to volunteer groups during a ceremony at Pittodrie.
The city’s Lord Provost, Barney Crockett, presented the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services to the charity, in recognition of its work with communities across the region.
The honour is only available to groups which have been operating for more than three years, making AFCCT, established as the official charity partner of the club in 2014, one of the youngest recipients.
Mr Crockett said: “Congratulations to everyone at AFCCT. It is testament to the dedication, enthusiasm and sheer hard work of all involved which has led to such prestigious recognition.
“We are very fortunate in Aberdeen to have so many individuals who give up so much of their own time for the benefit of others.
“They should be very proud of themselves and the work that they do as part of AFCCT in helping enrich the lives of others.”
AFCCT’s chief executive Ally Prockter said: “This award is known as the ‘MBE for volunteer groups’, so this is a huge achievement and it’s a fantastic acknowledgement of everyone who works for the charity and our volunteers.
“I was totally taken aback when I found out we were receiving this award as it’s a huge accomplishment to receive this kind of recognition after only four years.”
Mr Prockter was joined at the ceremony by 16-year-old volunteer and youth ambassador Caitlyn Irvine from Tillydrone.
She said: “I was so proud when I found out we had won this award and very proud of all the volunteers for the hard work they’ve put in to make this possible.”
The charity engages with more than 17,000 participants each year across 60 programmes and initiatives.
AFCCT works with local authorities and organisations including NHS Grampian, Sport Aberdeen, Police Scotland, Aberdeen Sports Village and other members of the Active Aberdeen Partnership.
