UNSUNG heroes have won praise for sterling, unpaid work in the community.
Hartlepool MP Iain Wright has presented a mock cheque for more than £1m to the people of Hartlepool.
The cheque represents how much Hartlepool's workforce of Millennium Volunteers would have been paid had they been paid the minimum wage for projects they have worked on in the past five years.
The volunteers, who are aged between 16 and 25, have been involved in a range of work in schools, community groups, charities and youth groups since 2000.
Mr Wright said: "The Millennium Volunteers do a tremendous job. It's a win-win situation. Hartlepool benefits and the volunteers benefit.
"I would encourage as many young people as possible to get involved and join the team.''
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article