A CANCER support group from Ascot which has raised more than £750,000 for Cancer Research UK has been honoured with Her Majesty's award for voluntary service - the highest prize in the UK. 

The team, who organise the annual Relay for Life event in Ascot Racecourse, has won the coveted Queen's Award for Voluntary Service - the equivalent to an MBE for groups, after being nominated by Bracknell Forest Council.

Rose Dalton, from Chavey Down, who founded the area's event in 2008, chairs the relay alongside a small group of volunteers and her husband David, who deals with accounting.

The pair attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace on May 24 where they met the Queen and talked with other members of the Royal Family and will receive the award from the Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire this summer.

Rose said: "We are thrilled and honoured to receive this prestigious award.

"This award recognises not only the work and commitment of myself and the committee, but the tremendous amount of support we receive from the teams and families who take part each year and also the local business community who are so supportive. 

"Knowing that thousands of groups are nominated each year across the UK we were overwhelmed to hear that we had actually won!

"It has been difficult to keep to the strict conditions of confidentiality over the past few weeks, especially when we were invited to the Buckingham Palace Garden Party; it is so unlike me to go to an occasion like that without telling the world!"

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK to recognise outstanding work in their communities and were created to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002.  

A total of 193 charities are receiving the award this year. 

Minister for Civil Society, Rob Wilson, said: "I would like to congratulate all groups who received this year’s Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, in recognition of their fantastic achievements.

"The huge amount of work and commitment these organisations put into their local communities is surpassed only by the passion and motivation of the individuals who volunteer."

This year's Relay for Life Ascot will be held on July 16 and 17 and entries for teams are still open.