Four Home-Starts have received the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award local voluntary groups can receive in the UK.

Those celebrating this wonderful achievement with their volunteers this Volunteers Week are Home-Start Clackmannanshire, Home-Start East Lothian, Home-Start Lisburn/Colin and Home-Start West Berkshire. 

Peter Grigg, Chief Executive of Home-Start UK, said: “I am delighted that the hard work and the dedication of the incredible volunteers from our local Home-Starts has been recognised, especially in the Platinum Jubilee year, which makes it even more special. We could not do our work with families without our remarkable volunteers.

“The Jubilee year and this award, is a perfect opportunity to thank all of our amazing volunteers working with families and as trustees working tirelessly to make life better for families in our local communities across the UK. The Award is also a recognition of dedicated staff and coordinators whose fantastic contributions make this all possible.”

The four Home-Starts are among 244 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups across the UK, to receive the award in this Platinum Jubilee year.

A total of 14 local Home-Starts have now received the highly respected award since it began in 2002, recognising the enormous impact made by staff and volunteers who support families going through tough times on a wide range of issues including postnatal depression, bereavement, coping with multiple births, isolation and financial worries.

This year also marks 10 years since Home-Start UK received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Volunteering Award, which recognised the impact of national volunteering organisations.

Home-Start representatives will receive the award crystal and certificate from their Lord-Lieutenant later this summer.

In addition, two volunteers from Home-Starts in West Berkshire and Lisburn/Colin, will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2023, along with other recipients of this year’s Award. The Scottish Home-Start volunteers from East Lothian and Clackmannanshire will be invited to a garden party at Holyroodhouse in July 2023.

For more information on the recipients and for details on how to nominate an organisation visit: https://qavs.dcms.gov.uk/. Nominations for the 2023 awards close on 15 September 2022.