This distinguished award will be given to 244 organizations across the United Kingdom.
Those who have aided the community and empowered others have received the most accolades.
Volunteers working in food banks, hospices, and fundraising are among the awardees.
The Queen’s Accolade for Voluntary Work, the highest award granted to local volunteer groups, is being presented to 244 organizations across the UK today in celebration of their excellent community service.
The coveted award is given to charities, social enterprises, and voluntary organisations in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland for their volunteer-led work in a variety of disciplines, including mental health, youth, community, arts, and heritage.
This year, The Queen’s Award will be given to 204 organizations from England, 22 from Scotland, five from Wales, and 13 from Northern Ireland, highlighting the continuous breadth and depth of voluntary contribution across the United Kingdom.
The recipients have all improved the lives of others via their efforts, with the community support sector, which includes food banks, village shops, fundraising events, and men’s shelters, receiving the most honors this year.
Nigel Huddleston, Minister for Civil Society and Youth, said:
Our volunteers give up their time to help others and The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service recognises their selfless acts of generosity and kindness.
I congratulate all the awardees whose hard work and dedication is rightly recognised in this milestone year of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Sir Martyn Lewis, QAVS Chair said:
I warmly congratulate all the outstanding voluntary groups who have been rewarded with a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service this year. The level of commitment and innovation shown by these volunteers is truly impressive. We owe a debt of gratitude to them, and the countless others who give up their free time regularly to improve the lives of others in their community.
This year’s Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service has a strong focus on empowering others, with confidence building, training opportunities, educational help, and sports all receiving top marks. Hospice volunteers, cancer support volunteers, long-term sickness volunteers, search and rescue volunteers, and first-aid volunteers are all prominently featured.
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, which coincides with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, recognizes that volunteers continue to play an important social role and increase access to services across the country.
Among this year’s honorees are:
Knockmany Running Club, based in County Tyrone, makes use of an underutilized woodland to provide a safe environment for people of all ages to run, walk, and wander via accessible paths.
Cymru Creations, based in Gwent, is a group of professionals who volunteer their time to run an award-winning film academy, assisting young people in making their own films and honing their abilities.
Bright Minds Big Futures is a youth-led organisation in Stockton-on-Tees that provides social action opportunities for young people while also working together with the council to improve the city’s quality of life.
The Buddy Bag Foundation gives children arriving in refugee camps support packs that include toiletries, pyjamas, socks, and underwear, as well as comfort things like a book and a teddy bear. It produces and distributes over 10,000 each year, assisting children in the West Midlands in regaining a sense of security.
In Banffshire, the 1st Buckie Company Boys’ Brigade challenges young people aged 6 to 18 with physical and skill-based activities, community involvement, and spiritual development.
The Oasis Centre, which provides meals, social events, and practical help to communities in four parishes in Cornwall with a variety of economic, health, and well-being issues.