Dedicated volunteers who have given their services for free to Windsor's hospice over the decades were invited to tea this week.

The setting on Monday was the beautiful Victorian mansion Easthampstead Park in Wokingham - where TV star Sue Holderness awarded them their long service badges.

Miss Holderness lives in Windsor near the Thames Hospice in Hatch Lane and is one of its ambassadors.

Best known as Marlene in the legendary sitcom Only Fools and Horses she is about to be reunited with co-star David Jason in a new series of Still Open All Hours.

More than 550 volunteers support Thames Hospice in 29 different roles across its shops, at Hatch Lane and in the community.

If the hospice paid people to do what they do it would be half a million pounds worse off annually - and it has to survive through public donations.

During the afternoon tea Jenn Bird, head of volunteering at Thames Hospice, said: “Our annual Volunteers’ Afternoon Tea is a way to show our thanks for the incredible support volunteers offer to Thames Hospice. They each bring different skills, experiences and links to our community and without them we really couldn’t do what we do to support local people.

“Every volunteer makes an enormous contribution to our success and we always look forward to bringing them together at this event to say a huge thank you. A special thank you must be extended to our guest Sue Holderness, who as an ambassador is also part of our amazing volunteer team.”

Tea and cake was served from 2pm, and magician Mike Stoner, from Wokingham, entertained the audience before speeches from Thames Hospice board members and the Awards Ceremony from 3pm.