A man who has dedicated decades of his time to helping bring a smile to others has been recognised as one of the top volunteers in the UK in the Happy List 2014.

Scholes resident Bob Riley was one of 100 people cherry-picked by the Independent newspaper to be included in its commemorative ranking, which was created as an antidote to the Times Rich List seven years ago.

Bob, of St Georges Road, had no idea that he had been nominated to receive the honour, which was granted as thanks for his tireless work to raise money for the Macmillan Cancer Support.

Clocking up over 35 years of volunteering for the local Holmfirth committee branch, he has helped to raise thousands of pounds in donations through numerous events.

This includes the renowned Holmfirth Art Week, which will exhibit the work of hundreds of artists from July 20.

It is the latest honour for the 67-year-old, who was last year granted the highest accolade for volunteers of the charity, the Hugh Dundas Award.

He said: “I’m ecstatic to have been included and had no idea that I was in it.

“I first started volunteering with the charity when I moved to the village to take a job with Lloyds TSB and have loved it ever since.

“I get such a sense of enjoyment and great feeling of community from helping out and the fact that you can see people benefitting from the work that the group does is really encouraging.

“Events such as our Art Week have gone from strength to strength and I’m so pleased that it is now one of the biggest open exhibitions in the UK.”

Bob Riley (second left) of cancer charity, Macmillan with representatives of the six teams involved in the fund raising fun cricket day held at Holmfirth cricket club
Bob Riley (second left) of cancer charity, Macmillan with representatives of the six teams involved in the fund raising fun cricket day held at Holmfirth cricket club

No stranger to helping out charitable causes, Bob is also a trustee for several other groups which work to create housing and maintain good schooling standards for the local community.

He is on the board of the Hirst Cottage Homes, who look after the Holmfirth Monumental Almshouses and Fusion Housing, which provides supported housing to young people in Huddersfield.

This was alongside 25 years service as a governor for Scholes Junior and Infant School.

Commenting on Bob’s charitable efforts last year, Holmfirth Committee Chairman, Gerry Beamond, said: “Bob is without question the most phenomenal charity fundraiser I have ever met but even more mind-boggling is the length of his continual service.”

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