24 Feb 2025 King’s Award for Voluntary Service presentations to Shropshire groups
In 2025 eight voluntary organisations from the County were awarded the King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS).
This award celebrates and promotes the tireless work of those who help others in their communities. This is the highest-level accolade for volunteer groups and is the equivalent of an MBE.
The award honours work that is recognised as bringing clear benefits to the community across a range of areas, such as culture, heritage, wellbeing, and social support.
Organisations presented with the award receive a certificate and trophy to proudly display.
In previous years, the Lord-Lieutenant of Shropshire has been delighted to see so many organisations from Shropshire being rewarded for their selfless dedication and is pleased to see that 2025 was no different.
Mrs. Turner said: “Thank you for all you do. Volunteers truly are the back-bone of our communities in Shropshire. Many congratulations to you all for being recognised with this top-level award.”
KAVS Presentations across the County
Arts Society, Wrekin – Presentation 26th January
A committee of twelve volunteers coordinate teams of other volunteers across a range of activities: • Support to schools – workshops, master classes, outdoor creative learning Educating Kids Outdoors (EKO), ArtBytes. This involves volunteers actively working alongside children and young people to engage and encourage participation, • Bursary – Wrekin Arts Award £1,500- £2,500 for emerging artist (biennial) • Prizes for Art Competitions – Telford College, Halls Young Artist • Support to The Albrighton Trust – creative projects for people with disabilities • Financial support to Codsall Arts Festival and English Haydn Festival • Financial support to Heritage projects e.g. Caughley Society, Doom Painting Appeal, Laptop and conservation materials for Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust • Exhibition of members and young people’s artwork at Footprint Gallery and Rose Patterson Gallery at Weston Park. • Educational programme of ten lectures through the year at Cosford open to members of the public • Cultural visits – day trips and longer • Days of Special Interest focusing on artistic, cultural and heritage topics • Fund-raising events e.g. Talk and Tea, Summer Picnic, talk or concert in local Church/ Weston Park • Heritage volunteering – support to museums, churches, and other organisations • 50 Treasures around the Wrekin –
West Shropshire Talking Newspaper – Presentation 19th February
Every single week since 1976 the group have produced a circa 90 minute audio compilation of stories and items taken principally from local newspapers and magazines (Shropshire Star, Shropshire Magazine, My Shrewsbury, Stretton Focus and others), but including contributions from local area reporters, bespoke interviews of local interest and articles from national sources relevant to those with visual impairment – These stories are researched and chosen by volunteers, then the Editor selects those most likely to have the widest appeal and they are rewritten for audio, then recorded by readers and technical team (originally onto cassettes, then onto memory sticks and now also digital versions), the memory sticks are then packed and distributed by post.
Shropshire European Organisation CIC – Presentation 27th February
The volunteers offer an outreach service to Eastern European residents who need help navigating their way around the UK systems so vital for their survival, working in four fields – health, social care, safety and wellbeing. Many of their cases are complex and require collaboration with multiple agencies. The Group act as interpreters for each case and keep in close touch for as long as it takes, often meeting in the evenings and weekends. They have recently set up a weekly café in Shrewsbury which offers Tai Chi, yoga and wellness classes, and run well-attended sports events and Heritage Days and plan to do similar in Telford.
Friends of Pontesbury Library – Presentation 7th March
Friends of Pontesbury Library (FOPL|) run and support community events for groups in and near the village, raising money to part-fund a part-time Library Manager (without which the Library would have been closed by Shropshire Council) and maintaining and improving this key facility. Included are a lottery, concerts, exhibitions, school visits, craft sessions, Father Christmas, coffee mornings, talks by local authors and an annual plant sale. Its volunteer Trustees Steering Group and committee include Parish Council members reporting through an AGM. They maintain a website and publicise activities through the Village Newsletter and social media.
The Melville Club – Presentation 12th March
Every Wednesday: a cooked three course lunch for approximately 80 elderly peopleThey also deliver lunches on Christmas Day. • Routinely celebrate any participants birthday and for “big birthdays” bring in entertainment and a birthday cake. • Tuesdays: Golden Years also known as “Nicky’s Friendship Club” – this includes a “light” lunch “and activities. A fee of £5.00 is applied. Any “profit” pays for minibus trips out for users of the group. • Monthly bingo sessions. • Annual summer fayre and afternoon tea party. • During lockdowns delivered up to 72meals week to elderly and infirm. • Wakes at the club for members. • Day trips using coaches, during summer e.g. Llandudno, Stratford, Blackpool, Weymouth and Cotswold’s. Until Covid they annually ran one-week holidays and restarted with a five-day trip to Bournemouth. • On alternate Fridays the Melville Club working in partnership with Home Instead, a local Care Company working within the Melville Club, provide the “Friday Club” (also known as the “Warm and Cosy club”). They provide crafts, (knitting / sewing / card making, book club, cooking club, gardening club, history club, quizzes, games, tea and biscuits. A donation of £2.00 is appreciated. Most of those who attend, circa 50 people, are Melville club members. This is seen as an effective partnership as members get to know Home Instead staff, so that when they get to the point of needing some care at home, they will already know, and have developed relationships with Home Instead staff, reducing anxiety about bringing carers into their homes. • The Club‘s minibus, available 7days a week, collects and returns many elderly people to the club for lunch, or to attend any of the groups based there each week – this is free of charge. • The minibus runs shopping trips to Telford or Wolverhampton each Thursday. • The minibus is also offered out to the wider community for low-cost transport to the doctors, dentists, hospitals, local trips for just £2.00. • The minibus driver also transports people to see their families on weekends, bank holidays and even on Christmas day
Wem Town Hall – Presentation 20th March
With the formation of Wem Town Hall Community Trust (WTHCT) and in collaboration with a local school the trust took on the lease and the hall was reopened in 2010.The town centre not only retained a valuable centrally located public building but now benefits from a welcoming Victorian red brick building with a large window frontage to the high street, spacious atrium style hall and reception with a café (independently run but staffed with volunteers) surrounded by spacious seating. Leading off this area is a large events hall and private meeting rooms. Upstairs are two further event rooms and offices. This light, bright and welcoming space now hosts a packed range of economic, recreational and cultural events all provided by WTHCT and include: • Seasonal holiday craft workshops for young families – so valuable given population demographics. • Craft & Community Music classes – there being no other provision at scale. • Dance & Exercise sessions – WTHCT provides unique support, space and facilities. • Employment fairs & Business Networking events, Charity Events & Fundraisers – notably WTHCT provides civic support and the venue for local government events including the Mayor’s ball and fundraiser • Cinema & Live via satellite events – Theatre, Opera, Ballet, Music • Live Music & Touring Theatre events –• A weekly indoor market • Civic events, Exhibition events – • Community support sessions & meetings –. • Annual Sweet Pea Show – given Wem’s historic and valuable connection to the development of the sweet pea this traditional show had ceased until it was relaunched by WTHCT. • Community café and hub , Wem SEN Hub – Without the drive of WTHCT the Wem SEN Hub would have no home. This is a locally unique service provided for parents, carers and children and features relaxed film screenings, crafts sessions, storytelling workshops and singing sessions.
