Six outstanding voluntary groups in Leicestershire have been honoured with The King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.
Leicestershire’s winners are a diverse mix of voluntary groups from across a number of charitable sectors and were all nominated by the public of Leicester and Leicestershire. The King’s Award for Voluntary Service holds the same value as an MBE and acknowledges the remarkable efforts of volunteer groups in their communities.
Picture credit: Pukaar News
The winning recipients, announced on Thursday 14 November to mark the King’s Birthday, were:
- Young Leicestershire- for transforming the lives of society’s disadvantaged young people
- Quorn Library Volunteers – for creating a community hub by resurrecting an old library, offering much more than just books
- Greater Wigston Historical Society and Heritage Centre – for establishing and running an outstanding research and advice centre, preserving Wigston’s community heritage
- Melton Community First Responders – for providing vital and lifesaving emergency aid and support to the local community and East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS)
- SoundCafe Leicester – for supporting those who are homeless, isolated and vulnerably housed in Leicester city
- Harborough Morsbags – for making and distributing fabric bags to reduce the use of plastics
Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Mike Kapur OBE CStJ, said: “I am delighted that so many of Leicestershire’s wonderful voluntary groups have received the recognition they deserve in this year of the King’s Awards for Voluntary Service. This award is a fitting tribute to their compassion, dedication, and selflessness in helping others. I am eagerly looking forward to presenting the awards and meeting the volunteers who dedicate their time to others.”
Leicestershire’s winners are among 281 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups from across the UK and Channel Islands to receive the prestigious award this year. The number of nominations remains high year on year, showing that the voluntary sector is thriving and full of innovative ideas to make life better for those around them.
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups to benefit their local communities. They are equivalent to an MBE for voluntary groups. Formerly, these awards were known as the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. Recipients are announced each year on 14 November, the King’s Birthday.
Representatives of the winning groups will receive the award crystal and certificate from the Lord-Lieutenant, and two volunteers from each group will be invited attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2025 along with other recipients of this year’s Award.
More information on the recipients and the Award can be found at https://www.gov.uk/kings-award-for-voluntary-service
Nominations for the 2025 awards remain open until 1 December, and full details on how to nominate are available at https://kavs.dcms.gov.uk/
