We’re over the moon to share that our incredible volunteers have been nominated for the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest honour that can be given to local volunteer groups in the UK. Often described as the “MBE for voluntary groups”, this award recognises exceptional work carried out by volunteers in their communities, and we’re absolutely thrilled for our volunteers to be in the running.
What makes this especially meaningful is that the nomination came from someone outside of our organisation, a lovely gesture that speaks volumes about the impact our team is making. As part of the process, we were recently visited by two Deputy Lieutenants from the East Sussex Lieutenancy Office, who came to learn more about our work and meet some of the amazing people behind it.
This has given us another chance to celebrate the very people who are the heart of everything we do.
165 weekly volunteers make our work possible, and among them, a mighty 44 drivers help deliver food across Sussex and Surrey every week.
Many of our volunteers have been with us for over eight years, bringing consistency, care and passion to our community, especially to the community groups and charities we serve.
Over the past 22 years, they have built more than a volunteer team; they’ve created a welcoming, inclusive, and compassionate community. Whether it’s mentoring new volunteers, buddying with volunteers on placements, greeting corporate teams, or making someone’s day with a simple chat, they bring warmth and connection wherever they go.
They go the extra mile, whether that is putting in extra hours to cover shifts, getting behind our Christmas Tesco Food Collection, which enabled us to collect 10% of the national total, or passionately speaking about their volunteering and our charity on the radio, for social media, or featuring on TV.
We are so proud to be nominated alongside so many inspiring charities and organisations doing incredible work. Just to be considered is a huge honour, and we’ll be eagerly waiting for the final results, which we’ll hear in November, once the panel has reviewed the assessments from the Lieutenancy Offices.
In the meantime, we’re raising a (metaphorical) toast to this amazing team of volunteers. Your kindness, dedication, and spirit are the reason we’re here and the reason we’re able to keep maximising the social value of surplus food across Sussex and Surrey.
Join our volunteer team today!
Find out more by clicking below or email us at volunteer@faresharesussexandsurrey.org.uk.