Queen's Award for Voluntary Service 2013 recipients announced
Recipients of the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service 2013 have been honoured on the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty’s coronation.
In conjunction with the 60th anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation, 117 outstanding UK volunteering groups are today (2 June 2013) honoured as recipients of The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service 2013.
View a list of award recipients.
This unique UK national honour was created over a decade ago by Her Majesty to mark the Golden Jubilee in 2002 and to recognise the outstanding contributions made to local communities by groups of volunteers; it has an equivalent status for voluntary groups as the MBE has for individuals.
Her Majesty is pleased to announce a range of recipients including The Lantern Club in Buckinghamshire who provide respite and day care activities for elderly people with memory problems who are socially isolated and Nowt2Do Project in Greater Manchester which organises after school activities to reduce anti-social behaviour. The award is overseen by the Office for Civil Society, in the Cabinet Office.
Nick Hurd, Minister for Civil Society said:
I would like to congratulate all those who received this year’s Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, in recognition of their achievements. Having met some of them recently, I was struck by their passion and motivation and hope they will inspire others around them to get involved in volunteering and make a positive impact in their communities.
PC Andy Wright from Greater Manchester Police said:
Greater Manchester Police, local schools and everyone involved in the ‘Nowt2Do’ project is delighted to be awarded a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the MBE for volunteer groups. To receive the highest national honour that can be bestowed upon groups like ‘Nowt2Do’ is just amazing. Any person who has volunteered or been involved, in any way with our project over the years should be proud of themselves. We create many different activities for young people who are exceptional people doing exceptional things.
Those receiving the award this year were selected from 270 groups nominated by members of the public who have seen the difference the volunteers have made to the lives of others or witnessed the benefits of a group’s work in their community.
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service Award Committee Chair, former broadcast journalist Martyn Lewis CBE added:
This year’s winners of the Queen’s Award for Volunteering have been judged the best in an impressive galaxy of volunteering talent. The achievements of these groups prove that volunteering in embedded deep in our nation’s DNA. At grassroots level in communities across the land, there are millions of citizens identifying and tackling issues and problems that affect our society in all kinds of ways. They are the finest examples of democracy in action, giving selflessly of time and effort to make our country better for everyone. It is people like these who provide a fine incentive for even more of our citizens to join Britain’s great and growing volunteer army.
Winners will receive a certificate signed by The Queen and an exclusive commemorative crystal, presented by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenants in their counties at special ceremonies arranged by the Lieutenancy offices and in the countries of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. The Lieutenant Governors of the Islands of Jersey and Guernsey will also make individual presentations.
On 29 May 2013 a number of recipients from the last decade of this prestigious UK national honour, which recognises and sets the national benchmark for excellence in volunteering, came together at a celebratory event at St James’ Palace to meet The Queen.
Watch a video about the awards
The first Diamond Jubilee Award launched exclusively last year to coincide with celebrations of Her Majesty’s 60th year as monarch; one of the recipients was the Olympian and double Commonwealth Gold Medallist Adam Whitehead, who attended the event on behalf of The Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust, a Diamond Jubilee Award recipient.
Find out how to nominate a group on GOV.UK.