TWO voluntary groups have been shortlisted for the first Queen's Golden Jubilee Award to recognise their contribution to the community.

The Junction, in Harrogate, and York Students in Schools (YSIS), in North Yorkshire, are among 277 groups in the UK to be shortlisted for the award.

Both were picked by a panel for the Yorkshire and Humber region and will have to demonstrate they have a significant value in the community and a high level of local goodwill.

The Junction, in Mornington Terrace, provides support, education and advice for people with special needs.

YSIS introduces students from the University of York into classrooms around the city, where they can provide support to teachers and help children realise their potential, while gaining valuable voluntary experience.

As many as 200 winning groups will be announced in June. Home Office Minister Lord Filkin said yesterday: "These groups provide a wide range of important services. They reach out and touch the lives of others, often providing them with unconditional human contact that would otherwise be missing.

"We owe them an enormous debt and I am delighted their work is being recognised."