The event, organised by the Merseylink joint venture, took place in Widnes on 2 June.

Hugh O'Connor, Merseylink General Manager, and David Parr, Chief Executive of the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board, were on hand to present certificates and thank the volunteers for giving up their time to support the project.ll of the volunteers received certificates with individuals who had contributed 100 or more hours of voluntary service receiving special awards. Five volunteers also received an Outstanding Contribution Award for the most hours volunteered over the last 12 months.

Between them, Barrie Davidson, Malcolm Findlow, Robert Richardson, Stephen Falconer and Ian Johnson spent around 2,500 hours volunteering with the project over the last year.

The Merseylink volunteer scheme launched in May 2014 with the aim of recruiting local people to help tell the story of Halton and its new bridge, one of the largest construction projects currently underway in the UK.

The volunteers act as information guides at the Merseylink's two visitor centres, which are based at the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre in Widnes and in the Town Square in Runcorn Shopping Centre. They also deliver presentations to local schools and community groups, and take part in site visits to learn about the ongoing construction process.

Hugh O'Connor, Merseylink General Manager, said, "our volunteers are wonderful people who selflessly give up their time to share their knowledge of this fascinating engineering project with the people of Halton. In doing so, they are making an enormously valuable contribution, not just to the project, but to the local community as a whole".