Last call for 2011 Queen's Volunteer Award Nominations

The people of Leicester and Leicestershire are being encouraged to nominate outstanding local voluntary groups for next year's The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service; the MBE for volunteer groups. Nominations for the 2011 Award should be received by 30 September 2010.

If you know of the great work undertaken by a voluntary group, or indeed have benefited from a voluntary group's hard work, then please do nominate them for this prestigious Award. Successful groups will be announced on 2nd June 2011 (Coronation Day).

Further information is available from, and forms can be downloaded at, www.direct.gov.uk/thequeensawardforvoluntaryservice or by calling 020 7781 2397 to request a hard copy.

The Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Lady Gretton, said, "Voluntary groups in Leicester and Leicestershire continue to play a pivotal role in the community, and many individuals' lives. Recognising their influence is vital and I would like the people of Leicester and Leicestershire to express their gratitude to these groups by nominating them for The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, the MBE for volunteer groups and highest honour in the voluntary sector.

"Leicester and Leicestershire's volunteers carry out tremendous work across a number of areas such as youth projects, BME and rural community based initiatives and these are the types of groups for which we would like to encourage more nominations. We have a plethora of groups who could be nominated so please visit the website or call 020 7781 2397 to find out more and nominate."

In June this year, the Baldwin Trust of Leicestershire received the 2010 Award
for its work in providing canal boat trips for older people and people with disabilities. The Baldwin trust was picked from the hundreds of nominations made from across the UK.
In all, 850 groups from across the UK - including 8 from Leicester and Leicestershire - have now received The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service since it was created by Her Majesty to mark the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002. Groups from different backgrounds providing extremely diverse activities have all felt the Award's benefits, which include - attracting more volunteers, increased awareness of the group to potential funders and of course helping to raise morale amongst existing volunteers.

For details of all The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service winners or to download a nomination form in pdf, visit www.direct.gov.uk/thequeensawardforvoluntaryservice.