Queen’s Awards for Voluntary Services (QAVS)
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to volunteer groups across the UK.
Any group of 2 or more people doing volunteering work can be nominated for the award. The majority of the group must be volunteers, and more than half the volunteers must have the right to live in the UK.
To be nominated they should do work that:
provides a service and meets a need for people living in the local community
is supported, recognised and respected by the local community and the people who benefit from it
is run locally.
Volunteer groups should have been running for 3 years or more to be nominated.
Recent Recipients of a QAVS Award within Northamptonshire are:-
Sulgrave Village Shop: 2022
The Indian Hindu Welfare Organisation (IHWO): 2021
Sikh Community Centre and Youth Club: 2020
Nominees are considered for an award the year after they’re nominated. For 2020, the nomination deadline was early September 2020 for groups wishing to be considered for the 2021 awards. Applications need to be made on line and further details can be found at www.gov.uk. or click here.
The Lord-Lieutenant is then requested to submit his support for a nomination. The deadline for submission is usually end of January with the announcement of successful applications made in June.
The Lord-Lieutenant will present the voluntary organisation with their award at a ceremony arranged by the organisation. This should not be arranged until at least two months after the announcement is made to enable the award to be received by the Lieutenancy office.
Recently, CAFE (Creative Activities for the Elderly, 2016), DACT (Daventy Area Community Transport, 2017), Fynnius Fogg (2019), The Lowdown (2019) and Sikh Community Centre (2020) received a QAVS.
Citizenship Ceremonies
You will be invited to book a place at a citizenship ceremony if your application to become a British Citizen is successful and you are over 18 years old. Citizenship ceremonies are organised by the local council and are usually carried out in groups at the Council Chamber in Northampton.
Rose of Northamptonshire Awards
The award is available for anyone in the County to nominate someone or a group who have gone the extra mile in helping the Northamptonshire community over the last 12 months. Initially it was conceived for those who have done something fantastic during the Covid crisis. However, it is becoming apparent that there are other equally notable efforts that deserve recognition, such as those who helped in the floods just before Christmas.
Currently under review with the two new Unitary Councils – hope to be back soon.