Agoonoree Scout camp award winner welcomes Tom Brake MP

10.38.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 19th Oct 2008

Tom Brake congratulates Keith Dickens for his outstanding volunteering with the Scouts

Tom Brake recently visited Agoonoroee Scout Camp volunteer Keith Dickens and the 15th Wallington Scout Group run by Claire Devine in recognition of Keith Dickens work with the camp. Keith was recently awarded the BT Chairman's Outstanding Achievement Award for his "inspirational devotion" to the local community.

Keith, a business support and technical consultant with BT in Ipswich has volunteered with Agoonoree Scout Camp for 44 years and dedicates 40 hours of his time to the group each month. The £5,000 BT Chairman's Outstanding Achievement Award will contribute towards the purchase of new camp equipment for the Scouts.

Agoonoree was founded to enable scouts with disabilities to enjoy a summer camp. The camp has which has been running for an outstanding 61 years, is held at the end of July and assists the integration of disabled and able bodied Scouts both male and female to participate in camping and outdoor activities.

As chief of staff at the camp, Keith is responsible for the general maintenance of the camp's equipment and facilities and ensuring that the programmes organised by the entertainments team run as smoothly as possible. As a member of the committee Keith is also responsible for setting up of all events and all fundraising activities.

Keith said: "When I first became involved with Agoonoree, I never believed it would become such an important part of my life. Volunteering has been extremely valuable to both my personal and professional life. The skills I have developed throughout my career within BT and my time as chief of staff at the camp have been interchangeable, each one complimenting the other. To have my voluntary work recognised by my employer makes me feel valued as a person and an employee of BT and I am honoured to have been short-listed above all the other hundreds of entries from across the company."

Tom Brake MP said: "The dedication Keith shows to the camp is simply inspirational. It is imperative that we recognise and encourage these types of activities and so I congratulate and commend Keith's selfless commitment to Agoonoree."

The 15th Wallington Scout Group provides Scouting for young people with special needs from the age of 8 to 25.