An altruistic group of people who do their best to help others in Hatfield have had their efforts recognised.

The Hatfield branch of the AGMS Foundation is the first recipient of this year’s Howard Centre Community Heroes Award winning £100 to spend at the WGC shopping centre.

The group, which has been running for 29 years, is perhaps best known locally for helping the disadvantaged by holding food banks.

The most recent event was at the Jimmy Mac Centre in Hatfield where volunteers distributed clothing, shoes and non-perishable food items to more than 100 people.

Volunteer Sunita Singh said; “There’s definitely a real need for it.

“There are so many homeless people in and around Hatfield and we have been out helping them by giving them blankets and food.”

The group’s regular food bank takes place on the last Friday of every month from 10am to noon at Marychurch in Old Hatfield.

AGMS Hatfield also runs other projects to help improve people’s health, education and the environment.

Iqbal Bharij, of AGMS Hatfield, said: “We always encourage young people to become part of AGMS so the spirit of serving humanity starts from a young age and when they grow up they will be a valuable asset to the community.”

The Howard Centre Community Heroes award is supported by the Welwyn Hatfield Times.

Sunita told the WHT: “I just can’t believe we have been given this award. It’s absolutely amazing.”

Paul Haynes, Howard Centre manager, said: “We are delighted to be sponsoring the community heroes campaign in association with the Welwyn Hatfield Times.

“All January entries were very worthy, but the AGMS Foundation entry stood out because of the groups ethos of helping disadvantaged people and particularly how they supported more than 100 people with their free foodbank and clothing event in January alone.”

The Howard Centre Community Heroes campaign will run until June, and each month the shopping centre will be rewarding £100 to spend in their stores for one of these heroes.

To enter simply email your story to communityhero@whtimes.co.uk including the name of the nominee, their contact details and your name and contact details.

The Howard Centre is also the headline partner of the Welwyn Hatfield Times Community Awards 2017.