A DUDLEY charity has received a royal award in recognition of the support it has provided to thousands of cancer patients over the last 33 years.

White House Cancer Support proudly accepted the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service from the Deputy Lieutenant Viv Astling during a ceremony at its Ednam Road headquarters on Wednesday.

The charity, which now has 80 volunteers, was founded in 1984 by Elizabeth Harris, a cancer patient looking for support and information following her diagnosis.

It started life as a weekly support group, which met in Elizabeth's home, before moving to its current base in 1995, which now boasts offices, counselling suites and treatment rooms.

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Caroline Webb, the manager of White House Cancer Support, said the award, dubbed the 'MBE for charities', was not only a "fantastic legacy" for Elizabeth, who passed away in 2007, but for everyone who had supported the charity and contributed to its success.

"This is a massive achievement and we are all really honoured to have received the award," Caroline said.

"I think it made the volunteers feel extremely valued and it also makes it more well known within the borough that there are people who go out of their way to selflessly help others."

She continued: "Over the years we've been able to expand our services. We now offer counselling and complementary therapies, provide transport for people to get to their treatments and a raft of other services."

"It's not just patients we support but also their carers and families. We also support people post cancer as they have to live with the affects for many years."

To find out more about the charity, visit www.support4cancer.org.uk.

Alternatively, call 01384 231232.