SIR Henry Aubrey-Fletcher, Lord-Lieutenant for Buckinghamshire, has called on people from the local community to nominate voluntary groups in the area for the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, a prestigious national honour equivalent to the MBE for groups.
The award recognises the outstanding contributions made to local communities by groups voluntarily devoting their time for the benefit of others, and sets the national benchmark for excellence in volunteering.
More than 600 groups around the UK ha
ve now won the award, over the six years since it was created by Her Majesty to mark the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002, including seven from Buckinghamshire.
Winners were nominated by members of the public who have been helped personally or witnessed the benefits of a group's work in their community. They range from Bucks Search and Rescue who provide rescue and related emergency service for Buckinghamshire County Council and training for voluntary organisations, to the Lakes Estate Summer Group who serve the needs of communities in Bletchley through recreational, social and educational family activities.
For details of all this year's Queen's Award for Voluntary Service winners and information on how to nominate a group that really makes a difference, visit www.queensawardvoluntary.gov.uk where a nomination form can be downloaded.
Joe BradshawAssistant Clerk to the Buckinghamshire Lieutenancy
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