A volunteer who has helped turn a redundant church into a thriving community building in the heart of his home town has been recognised for his dedication.

Roger Green, from Sudbury, was named as the regional winner of the Churches Conservation Trust Volunteer Award, which is supported by the Marsh Christian Trust.

This is in recognition of the work he has done for St Peter’s Church, Sudbury, where he chairs the Friends’ group, facilitates regular markets, festivals, concerts and theatre productions, and has helped boost visitor numbers to around 60,000 a year.

According to Peter Gray, a town councillor who sits on the Friends’ group committee with Mr Green, the accolade was well deserved.

He said: “Roger was part of a small group who fought to save the (St Peter’s) building from demolition in the early 1970s. For more than 40 years he has committed himself to preserving and maintaining St Peter’s for the benefit of the whole community, during which time it has come to be counted as among the most visited redundant churches in the country and a venue that has a very special place in Sudbury life.

“To St Peter’s he is chairman, coordinator, musical director, historian and a very able and amiable ambassador.”

Sudbury stalwart John Sayers, who served with Mr Green on the committee for many years, agreed that the recognition was long overdue.

He said: “I know how dedicated and passionate Roger is about the church. I witnessed his passion when he fought to prevent the building from being allowed to deteriorate and become a monument.

“If it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t have St Peter’s as it is today.”

A very humble Mr Green accepted the award at an event in London last week “on behalf of all St Peter’s volunteers”.

He also plans to hand over the £500 prize money he received as part of the award to Friends group volunteers to spend on projects in the church.