Record number of organisations awarded 2024 King’s Award for Voluntary Service
Melanie May | 14 November 2024 | News
281 organisations are to receive this year’s King’s Award for Voluntary Service, which champions the work of groups of volunteers in their local communities. The award is the equivalent of an MBE as well as the highest distinction for voluntary organisations in the UK.
This is the largest number of recipients in the award’s 22-year history, which was previously The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, after being established in 2002 to mark Her Late Majesty The Queen’s Golden Jubilee.
This year’s recipients include 232 organisations from England, 21 from Scotland, 22 from Northern Ireland, five from Wales, and one from the Isle of Man. 83% of awardees are outside London and England’s South East, in cities and villages across the UK.
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The 2024 awards celebrate a wide range of community service groups; from charities providing safety education to children, local community arts centres, and volunteer-run community radio stations, to groups championing inclusion in sports for women, girls and those with disabilities, and enterprises providing innovative healthcare.
The list of awardees includes:
- Fireground, recognised for its role in preserving the culture and heritage of a critical public service, whilst using the lessons of history to inform the fire safety of the future.
- Muslimah Sports Association (MSA), awarded for their work providing sporting opportunities and training to mainly Muslim women who can often be excluded from these activities.
- Tamnamore Community Development Association, awarded for its work providing a ‘neutral venue’ where both Unionist and Nationalist people can meet freely and get to know each other comfortably.
Minister for Civil Society, Stephanie Peacock said:
“Volunteers serve at the heart of our communities nationwide, dedicating their time to create positive change and enhance the lives of those around them.
“It’s incredible to see more groups than ever before receive this prestigious award for the inspiring work they undertake each and every day to support people and causes across our communities. I offer my congratulations to this year’s awardees.”
KAVS Chair, Sir Martyn Lewis CBE said:
“The King’s Award for Voluntary Service is the top award for groups of volunteers who beaver away at a grassroots level to transform vital aspects of life in their local community.
“Since its establishment, the awards have shown the people of the UK’s four countries at their very best, coming together from all sections of society to touch virtually every area of need. They also reflect the growing and key role which volunteers are playing in a time of rapid change.
“Whether driven by a neighbourly passion to help others or to achieve that well recognised ‘high’ of personal satisfaction, volunteering taps into a rich spirit of generosity and kindness. The 2024 awards prove that this spirit remains as strong as ever.”
Application process
Applications are assessed each year at a local level by local lieutenancies before going before a committee of National Assessors. Focus is placed on identifying groups that make a tangible impact to their local community, are steered by volunteers rather than paid staff, and have the highest standards in everything they do.
Nominations are open for the 2025 awards on The King’s Award for Voluntary Service website, until 1 December 2024.
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About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.