TOGETHER they have given more than 200 years to helping Oxford's most vulnerable people, saving its wildlife, and helping our children learn to read.

The trouble is, they would never blow their own trumpet - so the Lord Mayor of Oxford did it for them.

On Monday, councillor Jean Fooks presented 13 of Oxford's most dedicated unsung heroes with her Certificate of Honour.

Among the heroes were Eda Forbes, secretary of the Oxfordshire Blue Plaque Scheme for 13 years; Peter Thompson of Oxford Civic Society and wildlife expert Dr Judy Webb of the Friends of Lye Valley.

The Lord Mayor, together with the Sheriff of Oxford, councillor Mohammed Altaf Khan, and the Deputy Lieutenant, Lady Helen Baker, presented each volunteer with a Certificate of Honour at Oxford Town Hall on Monday as a mark of appreciation for the invaluable work they have done within their local communities and for the benefit of the city as a whole.

She said afterwards: "It is an honour to meet, officially recognise and give our thanks to these exceptional individuals who have given their time, patience and dedication to our city. The voluntary sector is vital in supporting public services and delivering help to those who need it most. We are truly grateful for their contribution and for those like them who are volunteering across Oxford."

The full list of heroes is:

Anne Dalziel
Anne has volunteered as a listener for Oxford Samaritans for 33 years.

Annie Winner
Annie volunteers as a reader for Assisted Reading for Children (ARCh), improving children’s literacy skills at Orchard Meadow Primary in Blackbird Leys.

Don and Sandie Richardson
Don and Sandie have volunteered in the administration and fundraising teams at Helen & Douglas House for over eleven years.

Eda Forbes
Eda has been the secretary of the Oxfordshire Blue Plaque Scheme for thirteen years.

Fred Thomas
Fred has been a listening volunteer for Oxford Samaritans for over 15 years.

Howard Marshall
Howard has been involved with the Archway Foundation for over 30 years.

Inga Martin
Inga has been a volunteer reader for ARCh at Larkrise Primary School in East Oxford since 2009.

Jane Bhattacharya
Jane has been a volunteer reader for ARCh at SS Mary & John Primary School for over ten years.

Judy Webb
Judy was recognised for her freelance contribution to nature conservation and Oxford’s green spaces spanning more than 16 years.

Megan Chappell
Megan has been a Recovery and Coaching volunteer for mental health charity Restore for over eight years.

Peter Thompson
Peter has been a longstanding volunteer at Oxford Preservation Trust and Oxford Civic Society.

Sue Gökgör
Sue was the very first volunteer in 2002 for the intergenerational project that became Full Circle

Nominations were considered by a panel of independent judges. The panel consisted of the Lord Mayor of Oxford for 2016-17, councillor Mohammed Altaf Khan, the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Tim Stevenson OBE, and the director of Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action, Kathy Shaw.