A Bridgwater detective who spends his spare time helping to keep vulnerable elderly people safe has been awarded a national honour.

Detective Sergeant Ashley Jones will be recognized with a British Citizen Award for his support for the Senior Citizen Liaison Team (SCLT) charity.

The honour was launched in January 2015 to recognise the people who have a positive impact on their communities.

Ashley established the SCLT in 2009 as a way to help make sure vulnerable elderly people had the information they needed to stay safe from scams, rogue traders and distraction burglars.

He led a team of four volunteers producing a safety magazine – Senior Siren – and giving safety presentations to hundreds of senior citizens.

Now the organization has grown into a registered national charity with more than 25 volunteers, while the free bi-monthly magazine Senior Siren is available to 250,000 readers.

The team won Prime Minister David Cameron’s Big Society Award in 2013, and the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2015.

Ashley is one of 30 medalists who will receive a medal of honour at a ceremony at the Palace of Westminster on Thursday 9 July, at the Palace of Westminster.

He said: “I was very surprised, delighted and indeed humbled to receive the nomination. I feel that I have stood on the shoulders of giants to get where I am today.

“While I have been identified as the leader of the group, it is the people I work with, the volunteers, who have made all of it possible. The award is recognition for every member of the SCLT, not just for myself.”