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The
Queen honours outstanding volunteer group in West
Sussex with
prestigious Award
The
Billingshurst Community Partnership from
Billingshurst West Sussex
has been announced as one of 130 winners of The
Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, the MBE for
groups of volunteers who work in their local community
for the benefit of others.
This
prestigious UK National Honour recognises outstanding
voluntary contributions and sets the national benchmark
for excellence in volunteering, with the work of those
awarded being judged to be of the highest standard.
The
Billingshurst Community Partnership has
received the Award for Its
services to the Community.
Those
receiving this year's Award were selected from 413
groups nominated by members of the public who have
been helped personally or witnessed the benefits of
a group's work in their community.
The
Billingshurst Community Partnership
will receive a certificate signed by The Queen and
an exclusive commemorative crystal, presented by Her
Majesty's representative in West
Sussex, Mrs Susan Pyper
at a special ceremony.
The
group has also received an invitation for representatives
to attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace
in the summer.
Speaking
of their success, Owen
Davies
from Billingshurst
said:
'We are honoured to have received this prestigious
honour for the work the members of the Partnership
have done for the benefit of the Community over the
last ten years'
The
Queen's Award for Voluntary Service Award Committee
Chair, former broadcast journalist Martyn Lewis CBE
said, 'Volunteer
groups make such an important contribution to their
communities, often without praise for the incredible
job they do. In these difficult times their efforts
are even more valuable. It's a pleasure to celebrate
the achievements of The
Billingshurst Community Partnership with
The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service and give official
recognition for the benefits they bring to others'
lives.'
More
than 980 groups around the UK, Channel Islands and
Isle of Man have now received this annual Award since
it was created by Her Majesty to mark the occasion
of her Golden Jubilee in 2002.
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For
details of all this year's Award winners and information
on how to nominate a group, visit www.direct.gov.uk/qavs,
where a nomination form can be downloaded.
For
further information
Owen
Davies Chairman Billingshurst Community Partnership
Telephone 01403 784 465 emai : owen142@btinternet.com
Note
to editors
About
the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service
In
2002, in celebration of Her Majesty's Golden
Jubilee, the Queen's Golden Jubilee Award
for Voluntary Service by Groups in the Community
was established. Its purpose is to recognise
groups of individuals who are giving their
time freely for the benefit of others. It
is the highest honour that can be bestowed
upon groups of this kind and is equivalent
in status to the MBE. As such, the Queen's
Award not only serves to provide recognition
of volunteer groups, but also demonstrates
the high respect in which volunteering is
held.
The
Award is overseen by the Office for Civil
Society (OCS). As part of the Cabinet Office,
OCS works across government departments to
provide support to voluntary and community
organisations and is responsible for delivery
of the Big Society programme.
Groups
must be nominated for the Award - self nomination
is not permitted. A group (two or more people)
can be nominated if it is based in the UK,
the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. The
group has to have been volunteering for the
benefit of people in the UK or overseas for
at least three years and more than half its
members must be volunteers who have the right
of residence in the UK. Groups solely concerned
with fundraising for charitable purposes are
not eligible. Further details on entrance
criteria and the nomination process are available
from www.direct.gov.uk/qavs.
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