Tag Archive for: Award

Queens Award Nominations Open For 2022

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The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS) is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK. It was created in 2002 to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Queen’s Coronation. 2022 marks the 20th anniversary of the award, coinciding with the Queen’s Plantuim Jubliee. As part of this, we would like Cambridgeshire and Peterborough groups to celebrate the fantastic work they contribute to our communities.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough tend to receive less nominations than other parts of the country, so we would like to build awareness of this prestigious award among our volunteer-led groups. Over the past year, we have seen a great surge in communities coming forward to support each other and stand together to create opportunities, support and impact within their communities.

 

Who can be nominated

Key eligibility requirements are:

  1. The group must have 3 or more members.
  2. It must be based in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man.
  3. It must have been operating for a minimum of 3 years.
  4. It must provide a specific local benefit (QAVS are not intended for national organisations, although a branch can be nominated).
  5. QAVS are looking for evidence that volunteers are initiating and driving the group’s work. It may have some paid staff, but we expect at least half of the people who work in the group to be volunteers.
  6. Groups operating solely for the benefit of animals are not eligible.

To read the full criteria, CLICK HERE

 

How are you nominated?

The group can only be nominated by three individuals with no direct link to the group. This means they can’t be working or volunteering for the group, including those who sit on the committee or trustee board.

There needs to be one primary nominator who fills the form out, and then two individuals who are happy to supply a short supporting letter.

 

The Process

The process is pretty easy once the three individuals have submitted their nomination. The organisation will be contacted. There will be a visit by someone from the Lord Lietunet of Cambridgeshire who will ensure your organisation has essential health and safety, safeguarding and finance procedures and policies in place.

All awards are announced as part of Volunteers Week which is between 1st and 7th June, through The Gazette.  Read about the winner for 2020 here

 

Want to know more?

The online guidance notes and application form can be found HERE

Hunts Forum will be holding some one-hour workshops that will cover the basics of the award a little more.  Introduction to the Queen’s Award of Voluntary Action Workshop: 15th June at 18:30 till 19:30, and again on 20th July at 17:00 till 18:00 – BOOK HERE

 

If you would like some more support with your policies and procedures, please contact your local CVS or infrastructure organisation:

Hunts Forum Any organisations working within Huntingdonshire keith@huntsforum.org.uk
CCVS Any organisation working in Cambridge City, South Cambs and Fenland enquiries@cambridgecvs.org.uk
Voluntary Community Action East Cambs (VCAEC) Any organisation working in East Cambs granville@vcaec.org.uk
Cambridgeshire ACRE Any voluntary community groups linked with community buildings. enquiries@cambsacre.org.uk

Nominate Your Community Heroes for The Etheldreda Medal Award

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The Etheldreda Award is a medal presented by the Bishop of Ely to people who have given ‘generous and outstanding service which would not otherwise be recognised’.

Candidates will be selected from the nominations received by a panel of volunteers who have been appointed by the Bishop to identify twenty to thirty suitable recipients. Most of these awards will be presented publicly at a special service at Ely Cathedral on 17 October 2020. There will be further awards in 2022 and biennially thereafter.

Nomination forms for those who are to be considered for the 2020 presentations should be sent to the Award Secretary no later than 23 June 2020.

The Etheldreda Medal is for persons whose service to community (which might be as ‘local’ as their extended family but could be as extensive as a national or international concern) is both ‘generous’ and ‘outstanding’. It is also essential that the person’s good works have hitherto been unrecognised. The Bishop is looking for exceptional people; those who might (in partnership with others) come close to being nominated for a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

For many people this will be about the duration and persistence of their good works, for others it may relate to a short but extraordinary act of kindness or course of conduct.

Please click here for more information and to download the nomination form.