King recognises local charities
14th November 2024
Eight Essex Voluntary Groups receive The King’s Award for Voluntary Service 2024
Eight voluntary groups from across the county have been honoured with the King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS), the highest national award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.
Created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee and previously known as The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS), the Award has been shining a light on the fantastic work of voluntary groups from across the UK for many years.
The award is considered as an MBE for voluntary groups, given only to those who provide exceptional service within their communities. Recipients of the KAVS are announced at the anniversary of the King’s birthday on 14 November each year.
The winning Essex groups this year become the joint third largest number of winners for any non-metropolitan county in the UK, a huge achievement for all involved.
The eight groups are:
The London Bus Theatre Company: Changing lives and raising questions for young people, increasing self-esteem, employability and life skills.
UTurn4Support (UTurn): Supporting young people through mentorship into achieving more positive future outcomes.
Essex Asian Women’s Association: Empowering women, promoting wellbeing, reducing isolation and championing cultural harmony in Essex.
The Music Man Project Ambassadors: Transforming perceptions of learning-disabled people through music.
PACE Manningtree: Working with local communities on positive actions to address changing climate and biodiversity loss.
Cool To Be Kind: Supporting the homeless and vulnerable in Chelmsford with community outreach and online signposting to resources.
3Food4U: Providing food and other essentials, health, wellbeing and educational services at four Essex centres.
Avenue Child Contact Centre: Providing safe, neutral, welcoming space for children to spend time with their parents.
These groups are amongst 281 charities, local enterprises and volunteer-led groups to receive the prestigious award this year. Indicating a strong voluntary landscape, full of innovative ideas.
Jennifer Tolhurst, Lord Lieutenant of Essex said:
“The announcement of eight winners of the prestigious King’s Award for Voluntary Service of Essex, is a wonderful tribute to the outstanding work of the voluntary sector.
“The number of awards won across Essex is the third highest number for any non-metropolitan county in the country. This achievement speaks volumes for the excellence of volunteering in our county and the increasing importance of volunteers for community wellbeing. It also highlights the hard work of the Essex King’s Award for Voluntary Service Panel, who are responsible for assessing the groups nominated for the award, they take their work seriously to help promote and reward excellence in volunteering across Essex.
“I look forward to presenting the King’s Award for Voluntary Service to each of the winning groups in the months ahead and to celebrate their achievements with their volunteers and many who receive their services.”
Two representatives of each winning group across the UK are invited to a garden party at Buckingham Palace next summer, however the Essex winners will receive their Award from the Lord Lieutenant of Essex, at their own ceremony in the new year.