TWO dedicated carers have been honoured for their outstanding contribution to the life of the community.

Dartmouth Academy student Liam Smith and mother-of-four Sarah Farnsworth are the winners of this year’s Dartmouth Rotary Club good citizens awards.

The accolades recognise the achievements of local individuals who have stood out from the crowd, either through their own personal efforts or within an organisation, by devoting their energies to enrich the lives of others.

The winners were announced on Thursday at a Rotary lunch at the Royal Castle Hotel where cups were to presented by club president John Hall.

Mrs Farnsworth, a support worker with Dartmouth Caring, received the Paul Goddard Memorial Cup, while the Eddie Punchard Memorial Cup went to 16-year-old Liam, a member of the young carers group at the charity. Both recipients were chosen from a significant number of nominations for this year’s awards.

Mrs Farnsworth, who lives in Blackawton, has been a support worker with Dartmouth Caring since 2011. She was previously a health care assistant and a domiciliary home carer.

Rotarian Charles Sutherland described her as ‘an amazing lady’ who had made a difference to heath care in the area, particularly among the elderly.

‘She is one of those people who goes on battling,’ he said.

Mrs Farnsworth has been instrumental in setting up the charity’s memory cafes, she accompanies vulnerable clients to assessments, caries out home visits to the housebound, does shopping and gives benefits and debt advice.

‘I enjoy my job with Dart­mouth Caring, which is a team,’ she said. ‘It’s a privilege to get to know people in the town and the memory cafe is not really work, but more fun. I’m a very lucky person.’

Junior award winner Liam is the fifth of six brothers, and the son of Dartmouth town councillor Steve Smith and his wife, Karen.

Mr Sutherland said Liam’s kind and considerate ways had been noticed from a very early age when he would go out of his way to mentor friends.

At St John the Baptist Primary School, he would practise the ethos of caring for others and this was something that was also recognised by teaching staff at the academy, he said.

He described Liam as ‘honest, trustworthy and loyal’.

Dee Nutt, chairman of Dart­mouth Caring, said Liam’s caring approach towards other children was an example to others.

Liam’s mum, Karen, said his family was very proud of him.