Residents encouraged to nominate outstanding voluntary organisations

Established 20 years ago during Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee, the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service was the highest given to local volunteer groups.

Following the coronation, the prestigious award has been renamed The King’s Award for Voluntary Service.

The award recognises around 250 outstanding local volunteer groups each year and is the equivalent of an MBE, giving royal recognition to the work volunteer groups do for their local communities.

This year, awardees will be announced on November 14, The King’s birthday.

Last year winners of The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in Shropshire include East Shropshire Talking Newspaper, a charity providing free weekly talking newspapers for people with sight loss, parent carer forum Parents Opening Doors (POD), Shropshire Rural Support and West Mercia Search and Rescue.

Lord-Lieutenant of Shropshire Anna Turner said: “I have been delighted to see so many voluntary groups in the county being awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, and would like to support even more organisations across Shropshire win this award which, following the Ascension of King Charles III, has now become the King’s Award for Voluntary Service.”

Groups do not have to be registered charities and any voluntary organisation with three or more volunteers can be nominated.

A series of information sessions have been arranged to explain more about the nomination process and to encourage people to put forward worthy organisations.

One session will be held in Shirehall, Shrewsbury on May 11 at 4pm, another on May 16 at Newport Baptist Church on Water Lane at 10.30am, and an online session for those unable to attend on it is June 13 via Zoom.

For further information or to book a place, email shelley.davies@shropshire.gov.uk.

Members of the public can nominate an outstanding volunteer group via the award's website: kavs.dcms.gov.uk