A new beginning for a new reign as The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service has officially been renamed as The King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
The award was created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee as a way to shine light on volunteer groups from across the nation. Equivalent to an MBE, KAVS is the highest award local volunteer groups in the UK can receive and once they earn the award, it is for life.
Those eligible for the award must be based in the UK, Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man. They must also have half of its volunteers residing in the UK and have been an operation for the last three years before their nomination.
Following her death in September 2022, Sir Martyn Lewis CBE, chair of the then The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS) paid tribute to Her Late Majesty.
“They are just a small part of the incredible support Her Majesty gave to the voluntary sector right across the UK during her lifetime, and, on behalf of those award winners and the QAVS team, I would like to express our gratitude for Her Majesty’s formidable legacy of volunteer encouragement which has touched every part of our country – and to express our sorrow at the passing of a truly great lady.
Months before the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the Award launched a special additional award to mark The Platinum Jubilee and 20 years of QAVS. The one-off award celebrated the outstanding achievements of 20 national charities that work to empower young people between the ages of 16 and 25.
Her Late Majesty passed away before the awards were announced. Her interest in building a solid future for the nation’s young people is said to be an interest similarly close to His Majesty King Charles’ heart.
Nominations for the KAVS 2024 are now open. To find out more and to submit an organisation, you can click here.
