Nominating a Voluntary Group for a QAVS

KING’S AWARD FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE

Do you know of a volunteer group that devotes it’s time to helping others in your local area and deserves a King’s Award for Voluntary Service?

The King’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK. The award recognises the vital role played by the hundreds of thousands of ‘unsung heroes’ of the voluntary and community world and emphasises the importance of continuing recognition of their work.

The King’s Award for Voluntary Service runs in annual cycles, starting with nominations in June each year, local and national assessments between December and May, and the announcement of Awardees in November.  The full timetable can be found here.

You can nominate a group (three or more persons) for the Award if:

• it is made up of at least 3 people
• be led by volunteers, not paid staff
• have been running for at least 3 years
• it is based in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man
• it provides a specific and direct benefit to their local communities

The majority of the group must be volunteers, and more than half the volunteers must have the right to live in the UK. Groups operating outside the United Kingdom are not eligible.

Nominees are considered for an award the year after they are nominated and you can make a nomination between 1 June and mid-September.  But remember, you must be independent of the group you are nominating.

The winners are announced on 14 November in The Gazette and they will receive a domed glass crystal and a certificate signed by the King. Up to two representatives from the group may also be invited to a royal garden party.

Go to The King’s Award for Voluntary Service – how to make a nomination for further information and guidance for submitting your nominations.

Get in touch if you need help with your nomination, or need to find out more about the award.

Mr John Purnell GM QPM DL, Representative Deputy Lieutenant for the London Borough of Harrow, presents a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service to Narjivan Vadil Kendra