Queen's Award for Voluntary Service

The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service
Awarded for	For outstanding achievement by groups of volunteers.
Country	United Kingdom
Presented by	The Queen
First awarded	2003
Official website	https://www.gov.uk/queens-award-for-voluntary-service

The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, also known as The Queen's Golden Jubilee Award for Voluntary Service by Groups in the Community and The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Volunteering Award is an annual award given to groups in the voluntary sector of the United Kingdom. Winning groups are announced in the London Gazette on 2 June each year, the anniversary of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The award is equivalent to the MBE and is the highest award that can be made to a voluntary group. The award is managed by the Cabinet Office.

The award was announced by The Queen on 30 April 2002, in celebration of the her Golden Jubilee, as part of her Golden Jubilee speech to the House of Lords and House of Commons. The first awards were made in 2003.

With the majority of volunteers, group of two or more people for volunteer work can be nominated, and more than half of the volunteers must have rights living in the UK. Their works must be on service, meets a need, supported, recognised and respected for and by the local community. The groups of volunteers must be running their service for 3 years of more.

Nominations are made online and 1 award is given per 3 nominations on average. Winners receive a certificate signed by the Queen and a domed glass crystal. The volunteer group's representatives also may be invited to attend a royal garden party by the Queen.

Over 750 groups had been awarded up to June 2010.

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