Sefton’s oldest and longest serving volunteer has given her backing to the Year of the Volunteer campaign.

102-year-old Lillian Dash, from Maghull, has been a volunteer across Merseyside since the age of eight and now benefits herself from home visits by Sefton Library volunteers.

Mrs Dash gave her full backing to the 2018 Year of The Volunteer campaign, launched jointly by Sefton Council and Sefton CVS, saying she hoped it would encourage a new generation of community-spirited helpers.

The centenarian said: “I think the Year of the Volunteer is a great idea and I hope it encourages people to get involved and give up some of their time to help others.

“I’ve been volunteering all my life. My mother died when I was eight and I used to go and do messages, looking after old people in our street and all sorts of bits and pieces.

“That’s how it all started!

“I was once given an award for volunteering over 400 hours in what was then Walton and Bootle hospital.”

Nowadays Mrs Dash benefits from regular home visits from Sefton Council’s home library service volunteers, who bring her new books to read as well as keeping her company each week.

“I think they’re marvellous,” Mrs Dash said of the Home Library volunteers.

“Where would we be without them? We need volunteers. I don’t know where I’d be without that person to talk to, the person who has a little bit of time.

“Time is precious to everybody and it’s so good that volunteers than give up theirs, to give to others.”

To find out more about the Year of the Volunteer visit SeftonCouncil’s website here