Two groups of volunteers based in Airdrie and Coatbridge have just been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service. This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.
The Airdrie Community School Uniform Bank empowers families in need to help themselves through the reuse and recycling of school uniforms whilst The Kieran McDade Foundation saves lives by providing defribrillators to sports clubs throughout Central Scotland .
Both groups are included in the list of 262 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. Their work, along with others from across the UK, reminds us of all the ways fantastic volunteers are contributing to their local communities and working to make life better for those around them. The King’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups to benefit their communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee and, following his accession, His Majesty The King emphasised his desire to continue the Award.
Recipients are announced annually on 14th November, The King’s Birthday. Award winners this year are wonderfully diverse and include volunteer groups from across the UK, such as a social support network for disabled adults in Banffshire; a charity using a refurbished pool as a community hub in south Wales; volunteer doctors providing pre-hospital care across rural Cumbria and a village renewal organisation promoting sustainability, equality and social inclusion in County Antrim.
Representatives of the Airdrie School Uniform Bank and the Kieran McDade Foundation will receive the award crystal and certificate from , Lord-Lieutenant of Lanarkshire Lady Haughey later this year . In addition, two volunteers from each group will attend a garden party at Holyroodhouse in July 2024.
Lady Haughey, Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire said: “The exceptional contributions of the Airdrie Community School Uniform Bank and The Kieran McDade Foundation are most worthy of The King’s Award for Voluntary Service. Their dedication to empowering families and saving lives is truly inspiring. I look forward to presenting both organisations with their well-deserved awards”
Notes to editors
- Lord-Lieutenants represent the monarch in each of the UK’s ceremonial counties.
- This year there are 262 recipients of The King’s Award Voluntary Service from across the UK and Channel Islands.
- More information on the recipients and the Award can be found at https://kavs.dcms.gov.uk/
- Full details on how to nominate are available at https://kavs.dcms.gov.uk/
- Nominations for the 2025 awards will open on the 1st June 2024.