Volunteers from charities and religious organisations were treated to a special tour of the House of Commons as part of an MP’s annual ‘Thank You’ event.

Groups from across the St Albans constituency were invited by Anne Main to visit parliament for a reception in their honour.

The evening celebrated the good work they do in helping others and recognised their vital contribution to society.

Mrs Main said: “I do this event every year to show my sincere thanks to all of you for the commitment and dedication that you bring to your organisations.

“You all contribute so much to our community and it is right that your efforts should be recognised as much as possible.”

She gave them all a tour of the House of Commons, including a visit to St Mary’s Undercroft – a “rarely-seen gem” under Westminster Hall.

A raffle at the event was won by representatives from HACRO, a charity which looks after and resettles offenders.

Joanne Mackintosh and Justine Beal were on hand to collect the ‘Tea and Tour’ prize, which they will use to benefit the charity.

Alison Jarvis from the Centre for Voluntary Service attended as a guest speaker and championed the event as a way for people to share experiences and resources.

Like Mrs Main, she thanked everyone for their hard work and wished them luck in continuing their endeavours.