Queen's Award for Voluntary Service Presentation
Published on 21 September 2018 03:13 PM
Critchley Community Hub received the Queen’s Awards for Voluntary Service at a special ceremony at Gorton Monastery.
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A record number of 27 Greater Manchester voluntary groups to collect an engraved, commemorative crystal trophy and a certificate signed by Her Majesty the Queen at the special ceremony on Wednesday 29 August. They were presented by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Warren Smith and the Vice Lord-Lieutenant, Paul Griffiths DL.
Critchley Community Hub is part of Age UK Salford, a local independent charity. The centre is based in Swinton and is primarily a place for older people, where they can make friends, learn new skills, re-kindle a long-lost hobby and join in many of the activities on offer including knitting, reading, basic IT, gardening groups and craft and film clubs. Around one hundred local people a week attend the centre of all ages.
Nichola Swettenham, Centre Manager at the Critchley Community Hub said: “We now have around 5,000 users to the centre every year, which is a huge increase since we started five years ago. This shows we’re providing a necessary and well used service. We have only two paid staff, so we couldn’t run the centre without the one hundred volunteers who work with us. It’s so wonderful to get this recognition for all their hard work and commitment.
Commenting on the two Salford winners, The Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Warren Smith, said: “These are two inspirational groups who really make a difference to people’s lives.
“This year we had 27, a record number of recipients, more than any other year, and far more than any other county. Since these awards were created in 2002 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation, we have met so many deserving groups who give their time freely for the benefit of others. The annual event at Gorton Monastery is such an uplifting and inspiring day. I would like to encourage more nominations for social enterprises, charities and voluntary groups in Greater Manchester before the September deadline.”
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest honour that can be bestowed on a voluntary group.
The closing date for nominations for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service 2019 awards is 14 September 2018. Organisations who have been operating for at least three years, and whose workforce is more than half voluntary are eligible to be nominated.
Queen’s Awards for Voluntary Service
This unique UK national honour was created over a decade ago by Her Majesty to mark the Golden Jubilee in 2002 and to recognise the outstanding contributions made to local communities by groups of volunteers. It sets the national benchmark for excellence in volunteering, with the work of those awarded being judged to be of the highest standard.