A 22-year-old from Begelly has won an award for her caring role.

Molly Lewis has been awarded the PAVS (Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services) award for going above and beyond the call of duty in befriending a young woman needing relief from full-time caring.

The Cardiff Metropolitan University Fine Arts student has been befriending the 19-year-old for the past five years.

She was presented with her award recently by Clr. Keith Lewis, deputy leader of Pembrokeshire County Council.

“I’m delighted to be given this award but the experience of looking out for my friend is rewarding enough,” she said.

“Just as I have helped her, so she has helped me and we are now definitely very good friends. Even if I were not continuing volunteering, we would still be good friends.”

Molly’s befriender role is part of Barnardo’s Cymru’s V-Linx project in Pembrokeshire.

Commissioned by the county council, it aims to match young people with additional needs with friendly and dedicated volunteers from the local community.

By pairing people of similar interests, it hopes to enable young people with additional needs access aspects of normal modern life that may not always be available to them.

“Molly is and will continue to be the model of what a successful befriender can hope to achieve,” said Jon Bell, volunteer coordinator of the V-Linx Project in Pembrokeshire.

“Over the past five years, she has gone above and beyond the call of duty to support her friend through some difficult family times; working with her to develop her confidence and self worth to the point where the young woman is a credit to herself, her family and the hard work which Molly herself has invested.”

The V-Linx project is actively looking for volunteers.

Anyone who can spare around two to four hours a week to help make a difference to a young person’s life can contact the project by emailing Jon Bell at [email protected] or call on 01437 776511.