The recent Queen’s Birthday Honours Awards have again quite rightly recognised the exceptional volunteering efforts, often over many years, of individuals within their communities.

However, for every individual volunteer receiving recognition, there are literally thousands of others giving their time voluntarily to their community and individuals within it.

A quick rain check across east London and we will find:

• Hundreds of volunteers running weekly youth activities year-round, engaging hundreds and hundreds of young people in uniformed organisations (Scouts, Guides, Brownies, Cubs, etc), church youth clubs, estate clubs and so on.

• Hundreds of volunteer managers, coaches and administrators underpinning a vast network of sports clubs involving literally thousands of individuals every weekend.

• Hundreds of volunteers visiting the elderly, isolated and those experiencing personal problems, offering them companionship and practical support.

• Hundreds of volunteers running senior citizen clubs, friendship groups, interest groups, coffee mornings, etc.

• Amazing community projects such as Community Gardens, the Drop-In Bereavement Centre E16, the world famous Imps young people’s motorcycle display team, Helping Hands, etc.

Overall an amazing variety of volunteers (and I am sure I have left out many) carrying out day-by-day work which makes a positive difference to the quality of life that others enjoy.

Each volunteer is driven not by the hope of recognition but by a desire to use their experiences and skills to help others in their community.

In my view, everyone deserves an award because without their efforts east London would not be the East End we all know. Thank you to each and every volunteer.