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Lincoln Bomber Command volunteers receive King's Award

Hayley Grice/BBC VolunteersHayley Grice/BBC
To date, more than 400 volunteers have worked on the project

Volunteers at Lincolnshire's International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC) have been recognised with a King's Award for Voluntary Service.

The IBCC is dedicated to the 58,000 men and women who lost their lives serving or supporting Bomber Command during World War Two.

It features memorial walls and a 102ft (31m) metal spire, along with a digital archive of documents.

More than 400 volunteers from nine countries have worked on the project.

Lincolnshire was chosen as the site of the IBCC because 27 RAF Bomber Command stations - more than a third of the total - were based in the county during the war.

Tim Doyle / IBCC Memorial warTim Doyle / IBCC
The memorial wall lists the names of 58,000 Bomber Command crew who were killed in World War Two

Chief executive Nicky van Der Drift said: "Since opening to the public, we've had more than 450,000 visitors to the centre to pay their respects and reflect as they walk through the 57,861 names surrounding our memorial spire.

"None of this would have been possible without the efforts of our brilliant team of volunteers, and I hope each of them feel a share of the pride at having been given the King's Award for Voluntary Service.

"I could not be more proud of what they have achieved," she told BBC Radio Lincolnshire.

The King's Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award a group can receive in the UK and recognises the work done to benefit communities.

Recipients are announced annually on 14th November, The King's Birthday.

Graham Taylor / IBCC Aerial view of IBCCGraham Taylor / IBCC
The International Bomber Command Centre features memorial walls and a 102ft (31m) metal spire

Volunteer Dave Gilbert, who has logged more than 12,000 hours on the project, said it was an honour to help tell the stories of the 58,000 men and women "who are represented here".

"While the work is rewarding in itself, it's immensely gratifying to see the hard work the volunteers have collectively put into the project recognised by such a prestigious body," he added.

The RAF Ingham Heritage Centre was also recognised.

In a post on Facebook, a spokesperson said they were delighted to receive the award which recognised "the incredible hard work, dedication and commitment of our amazing team" of volunteers.

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