A pair of kind-hearted sisters in their eighties were among the dozens of people who were honoured for their dedication to the community in Amersham yesterday evening.

Chiltern District Council’s community awards saw a range of people from a pub landlady to library volunteers receive awards at King’s Church in Raans Road on March 16.

Siblings Margaret and Joan Walton were presented with the Long Service award by the High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, Peter Kara.

The Walton sisters were praised by judges as “shining examples of community spirit” for decades of hard work, from volunteering at a hospital to organising village fetes.

Rainbow and Brownie leader Maureen Camier also received the same award for 40 years of service to guiding and encouraging girls to “enjoy adventures and experiences they may never have dreamed of.”

The 74 volunteers, aged 10 to 84, at Chalfont St Peter Community Library received the Group Award from MP for Chesham and Amersham Cheryl Gillan, after the community rallied together to save the library when it faced closure in 2011.

And landlady at The Gamekeeper’s Lodge in Chesham, Pat Miller, was hailed a “pillar of the community” as she was handed her community champion award.

Chiltern District Council cabinet member for healthy communities and ceremony host, Liz Walsh, said: “These community awards are all about recognising and thanking those people who make things happen – who keep groups and clubs going year after year, the individuals who see the gaps in social cohesion and find ways of bringing people together.

“It’s fantastic to hear the stories of what so many people are doing and it’s tangible evidence of the strong community spirit which thrives in our District across all walks of life and all ages.

“And it is that spirit of belonging and being a ‘part of’ which, I believe, makes Chiltern such a great place to live, to work and for young people to grow up in. Those community values, which we hold dear, are the glue which binds our towns and villages together and help us flourish.”

This year’s event saw a record number of nominees – who were all invited to the stage at the end of the ceremony to have their photo taken.