- 281 charities, youth groups and museums across the UK recognised by His Majesty The King for their outstanding voluntary work
- Muslimah Sports Association (MSA), CareSound Radio, Popham Kidney Support and the Tamnamore Community Development Association among those awarded
281 organisations throughout the United Kingdom are to receive The King’s Award for Voluntary Service in recognition of their outstanding community service, representing the largest number of recipients in the award’s 22-year history.
Previously known as The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, this award was established in 2002 to mark Her Late Majesty The Queen’s Golden Jubilee and was continued following the accession of His Majesty The King. It is the equivalent of an MBE and represents the highest distinction for voluntary organisations in the UK.
Awarded each year to honour volunteer-led groups working across a wide range of fields including mental health, youth, environment, community, arts and heritage, The King’s Award for Voluntary Service showcases the continued range and significance of voluntary service carried out every day across the nation.
This year’s recipients include 232 organisations from England, 21 from Scotland, 22 from Northern Ireland, 5 from Wales, and 1 from the Isle of Man, with 83% of awardees falling outside London and England’s South East, in cities and villages spanning all four corners of the UK.
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.
This year’s 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.
Recipients include:
- Fireground – a group preserving the history of firefighting through a museum collection and promoting fire safety in schools and communities in Greater Manchester. The organisation has been 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) – an association enabling women to participate in sports without compromising religious or cultural practices in Greater London, awarded for their work providing sporting opportunities and training to mainly Muslim women who can often be excluded from these activities.
- CareSound Radio – a local station delivering health and wellness radio for Perthshire hospital patients, care home residents and the community in Perth and Kinross. Not just a radio station, the volunteers take care of their community, regularly visiting elderly patients in both hospitals and care homes to address loneliness and foster a sense of community.
- Popham Kidney Support – a charity working across Wales to support those with kidney disease and their families and carers to lead better lives by improving the financial, physical and emotional wellbeing of beneficiaries as well as their knowledge and education of the disease. The charity was awarded for its distinctive approach to supporting people with kidney disease of all ages.
- National Coastwatch Institution (Nells Point) – a group in Barry providing a year-round coast watch service to ensure the safety of water and coastal users at the second-highest tidal range in the world, Nells Point. The group also provides education on water safety in deprived areas of their community.
- Tamnamore Community Development Association – a volunteer group in County Tyrone driven by the residents of Tamnamore to improve the local community by embracing stakeholders and focusing on health and wellbeing. The group has been awarded for its work providing a ‘neutral venue’ where both Unionist and Nationalist people can meet freely and get to know each other comfortably.
Applications for The King’s Awards for Voluntary Service are assessed each year at a local level by local lieutenancies before consideration of recommended groups by 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 now open for the 2025 awards on The King’s Award for Voluntary Service website, with applications closing on 1 December 2024.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- More information on The King’s Award for Voluntary Service can be found here.
- An interactive map of all 2024 awardees can be found here, and a full list is available on the KAVS website and The Gazette.
- Any group of three or more people that has participated in voluntary work for more than three years can be nominated for the award. Full eligibility criteria and details on how to submit a nomination for the 2025 awards are available online.