Community get together to celebrate walking group’s King’s Award for Voluntary Service
Prosecco and cake was a fitting community celebration for Kington Walks which received The King’s Award for Voluntary Service recently
Volunteers, supporters and sponsors gathered at the Market Hall to celebrate, pay tribute to those involved in the group and to recognise the wonderful honour.
Kington Walks, a registered charity run by a group of volunteers based in Kington, was awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service, as part of the King’s 2025 Birthday honours .
It is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.
The award, announced on the birthday of His Majesty the King recognises the work of all Kington Walks volunteers in promoting walking for its benefits to health, pleasure and wellbeing, in the Kington area.
At the event everyone enjoyed a beautiful and delicious cake created by Handmade by Solange in Kington High Street, and prosecco and cassis thanks to White Heron.
There was also an exhibition of press cuttings, previous walking festival brochures and documents.
The winner of a Kington Walking Festival Photography Competition was revealed and this year it was won by a member of the walking committee, Geoff Cooper. He won a walking a Paramo Jacket worth £340 kindly sponsored by Paramo and supplied by Kington’s Walking Hub.
Kington Mayor Councillor Philip Sell thanked everyone for going along to celebrate an important event in the history of the town.
He said; “Anyone who comes to Kington for the first time would be aware of what a wonderful place it is. If you come through the high street you notice what a beautiful set of buildings we have but the most important feature is the beautiful surrounding countryside, valleys and trees etc. All these things come together to make Kington the special place it is.
“All of the festivals we have such as the Christmas lights event, the food festival and Kington Show all make it a very special place to live and be and the jewel in the crown is Kington Walks. It is a very significant part of our town.
“Well done and congratulations on behalf of the town for putting us on the map.”
Chair of the Trustees of Kington Walks, Sarah Lee said: “I am thrilled that our group’s work has been recognised nationally. This is a tribute to so much hard work and commitment over the years, sharing our love of walking and our wonderful local countryside with so many people.
“It is also a tribute to the community of our great little town where people from all walks of life have come together to make so much happen.
“We enjoy promoting walking but we also have a really good time doing it and we are a lovely bunch of people.
“It marks a very significant achievement. Over 100 volunteers support Kington Walks in a variety of ways to enable visitors to the town and local people of all abilities to enjoy and benefit from walking.
“Activities run by Kington Walks volunteers include two popular annual Kington Walking Festivals, bringing hundreds of visitors to the town, and a weekly Walking for Health programme in partnership with Kington Medical Practice, providing group walks for local people to improve health, support recuperation and offer friendly company.
Kington Walks volunteers also carry out regular maintenance of over 30 miles of the area’s local footpaths, improving accessibility and replacing broken stiles, gates and signs.”
Since the group was founded in 2011, Kington Walks has succeeded in its aim to put the small market town of Kington on the Herefordshire-Powys border on the map as a Centre for Walking, benefitting the town’s hospitality and retail economy, and enhancing Kington’s unique character.
Strong community support also comes from local businesses, the Kington Chamber of Trade and Kington Town Council.’
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service was created in 2002 to celebrate Her Late Majesty The Queen’s Golden Jubilee and was continued following the accession of His Majesty The King. 2025 marks the third year of The King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
Representatives of Kington Walks will receive the award crystal and certificate from Mr Edward Harley, Lord-Lieutenant of Hereford in the coming months.
In addition, two volunteers from Kington Walks will attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in May and June 2026, along with other recipients of this year’s award.
To find out more about Kington Walks and how to get involved, visit www.kingtonwalks.org or get in touch on info@kingtonwalks.org
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