Mansfield Woodhouse volunteer honoured for 45 years of charity work

Yvette Price-Mear, 58, received The High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire award for her valuable work in the community.

The mum-of-two received the prize at a ceremony in front of her family and friends at Nottingham Council House on February 28.

Yvette has spent the last 45 years volunteering for charities and helping vulnerable people in the community.

But the award was a total shock to her.

"I wasn't expecting it, it was a complete surprise," Yvette said.

"The best bit was I got nine members of my family and friends there.

"I had a bit of a red face because some of the other people who had been nominated had some heart breaking stories and I was really humbled to be listening to them.

"My friends and family are proud of me but I couldn't do my volunteering work if it wasn't for them - they all just pitch in to help me help others."

Yvette who now works as a shared lives carer - supporting adults with learning disabilities - has been helping others since she was 13.

She has previously looked after children with special needs at the now closed, Mansfield and Ransom Hospital.

"It all started when I was bored in the summer holidays and my mum was reading The Chad which said the hospital was looking for volunteers. I would go during the summer holidays as it was something to do.

"These things happen in life so we can discover what our strengths are."

But the community carer spent the majority of her own childhood in hospital battling Perthes' disease – a condition where the top of the thigh bone loses blood supply and becomes damaged, causing groin pain, stiffness and making it difficult to walk.

Yvette explained how the disease which has made her registered disabled, helped her realise her dream.

"I was in the hospital as a patient and when I left I realised I wanted to go back as a nurse,” she said.

"I remember one of the nurses who cared for me, she told me 'well you will never be able to do something like drive' because of my legs but I think she put that seed in my head to make me want to do things."

Sadly Yvette had to abandon her ambitions to become a nurse when the work became too much of a physical strain on her legs.

But it was after this that she remembered the passion she had for volunteering and made a commitment to help others.

She has worked for various charities over the last 45 years - providing emotional support to callers from the Samaritans, Mind and the British Red Cross.

And she has shared why she continues to spend her time caring for other people after so many years.

"Well I get more out than I put in because it doesn't just make a difference to the lives of others but it makes a difference to me as well,” she said.

"I think my experience inspired me to help others because I can empathise especially when people say they are at their lowest point and don't know if they want to carry on.

"Life has a funny way of giving you these lessons."

So far, Yvette has raised more than £500,000 for different causes by hosting various fundraisers.

Last year, she generated £3,000 for her own pet bereavement charity by playing 432 games of bingo.

She founded Pet Bereavement Support after she experienced an increased number of calls from people mourning the loss of an animal during her volunteering.

People mourning a pet can phone, write letters or email Yvette to be counselled about their grief. For more information, see the website at http://www.yvettesbook.com/index.html.