THE newly opened Middlewich branch of the Sandbach and District Volunteer Bureaux is to play host to a party to celebrate an historic landmark.

Emma Parker is to become the bureau's 100th volunteer and will be presented with a certificate to remember the occasion by Eric Nightingale, chairman of the executive committee of the council for voluntary service.

Volunteer bureau development worker Liz Mitchell said: "We are delighted to have reached this milestone in one year.

"We will be working in 2002 to beat this record, as we open bureaux in different parts of the borough, so that people can more easily find us."

She added: "This way we can help all the local voluntary organisations to increase their teams of volunteers and so expand their services to local communities."

The Volunteer Bureau Development Project is a three year scheme designed to establish a working volunteer service throughout the borough of Congleton.

At present there a bureaux in Sandbach and Middlewich with further sites expected to open this year in Alsager, Holmes Chapel and other rural areas of the borough.

The bureaux provide a professional service offering all people the opportunity to be involved in volunteer work and gives training, co-ordination and support to those already involved as volunteers.

For more information on the service ring Liz Mitchell on 01270 763100.