Volunteer MBE for two more local charities

The Guernsey Voluntary Service and Guernsey Disability Swimming LBG both feature in this year’s list of 230 volunteering groups that have been selected from across the UK and Crown Dependencies to receive The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Created in 2002 to celebrate The Queen’s Golden Jubilee, this award is the equivalent of an MBE for volunteer groups and it is the highest award available to local volunteer groups, recognising the outstanding work by voluntary organisations which benefits their communities.

Lt-Governor Vice Admiral Sir Ian Corder welcomed the news.

‘I’m very pleased that two hard-working and extremely effective local charities have each been recognised with the gold standard of volunteering.

‘The volunteer spirit is most definitely alive and well in the Bailiwick, which is something for which we can all be thankful especially as we face the many challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic. I would encourage anyone who knows of a particularly deserving local charity to consider nominating them for 2021.’

All nominations for The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service are made by members of the public who have either been helped personally or witnessed the benefits of a group’s work within their community.

Each year, a shortlist of several hundred eligible groups from across Britain is reviewed by the National Award Committee, which makes recommendations to the Cabinet Office, with a final list then submitted to Her Majesty for approval.

The award-winning organisations are then announced each year on 2 June, the anniversary of the Queen’s coronation.

Both the Guernsey Voluntary Service and Guernsey Disability Swimming will each receive a certificate signed by the Queen and a domed glass crystal, which the Lt-Governor will present later this year.

Both groups have also received an invitation for representatives to attend a royal garden party at Buckingham Palace.

This year’s announcement takes the total of voluntary groups in the Bailiwick to be accredited with the award to 28.

Profiles of the two charities are under the News tab