Better known as the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the award was established in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee. It is equivalent to an MBE and is the highest honour awarded to voluntary groups. 2023 marks the first award in the name of His Majesty King Charles III
Awarded annually to some of the UK’s most inspiring volunteer-led groups for their charitable endeavours, this year 227 organisations from England, 20 from Scotland, six from Wales and nine from Northern Ireland have received the first ever King’s Award.
In total, 262 organisations across the UK have been awarded the inaugural King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award given to local volunteer groups in recognition of their outstanding community service.
From charities offering financial and practical support to cardiac patients; local community arts and culture centres; search and rescue services and volunteer-run community radio stations, the work of the awardees is wide ranging. Organisations support young people, those suffering from loneliness and isolation, and ethnic minority groups amongst others.
An interactive map of all 2023 awardees can be viewed at this LINK, while a spreadsheet of all awardees is available on the GOV.UK website (scroll down to the foot of the page to the spreadsheet).
King’s Awards winners in South West England include:
o Bournemouth Health Bus in Dorset.
o Coldharbour Mill Museum in Uffculme, Devon.
o Gloucester Feed the Hungry CIC.
o Pegasus – Men’s Well-Being Centre in Cornwall.
o Share and Repair in Somerset.
o The Marmalade Trust in Bristol, and
o Blunsdon Community Shop and Cafe in Wiltshire.
The next round of awards will be assessed from December 2023 until May 2024, with the awardees being announced in November 2024.
Further information about the King’s Award for Voluntary Service can be found on its website.
