A CALL has gone out to the public to nominate dedicated volunteers to be invited to take afternoon tea with the mayor.

In September, it will be 150 years since Queen Victoria granted Darlington its Charter of Incorporation.

The charter led to the founding of the town’s first local authority and the eventual formation of Darlington Borough Council.

The historical document will be reframed and displayed in the town hall as part of a series of events that will be staged to celebrate the milestone anniversary.

As part of the celebrations, Darlington Borough Council wanted to recognise generations of volunteers that have made vital contributions to the community over the years.

With that in mind, the town’s mayor, Councillor Jan Taylor, will host an afternoon tea for some of Darlington’s most selfless volunteers, planned to take place at Dolphin Centre’s Central Hall this autumn.

A letter has already been sent to voluntary and community sector organisations, inviting them to submit the names of those they feel deserve special recognition for their efforts.

To ensure nobody is missed out, the council is also appealing for nominations from the public and those representing charities and other organisations.

They would like to hear about outstanding individuals who have given up their time in an effort to make a difference to their community or to help those in need.

Cllr Taylor said: “Do you know someone who volunteers in their community and deserves a special treat?

“Maybe they have volunteered for a significant length of time, or their contribution or achievement is outstanding for some other reason.

“With so many voluntary and community organisations doing such great work in Darlington, we know that choosing which individuals to nominate may not be an easy task.”

Invitations to the mayoral tea party will be sent out once all of the nominations have been collected.

To nominate someone, explain in no more than 200 words why that person should be honoured and send their name and address – along with your name and the name and description of your organisation where applicable – to Shirley Burton, Democratic Manager, Neighbourhood Services and Resources, Darlington Borough Council, Town Hall, Darlington DL1 5QT.

Nominations can also be emailed to shirley.burton@darlington.gov.uk