Henley book project for children receives King’s Award for Voluntary Service
THE selfless work of six voluntary and charity organisations across Warwickshire has been officially recognised in this year’s King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS).
Six organisations, which support a variety of causes from homelessness and veteran support to autism and search and rescue, have been given the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.
Warwickshire Search and Rescue is one of 36 operational Lowland Rescue teams across the UK, and their mission is to search for vulnerable and high-risk missing persons across the county.
Ian Malins, chair of Warwickshire Search and Rescue, said:
“Our team has been recognised by being awarded the prestigious Kings Award for Voluntary Service. Due to the confidential nature of the work we do, supporting vulnerable people in their time of personal crisis, many people are unaware of what we do. Members of the team put in a lot of hard work, time, and commitment in supporting the police and fire service with missing person searches.Their dedication to being available 24/7, searching in all weathers when needed, as well as the many hours spent training and fundraising for the team is inspirational. I’m proud to be a member of the team that is truly professional in all but pay.”
Another KAVS recipient is Own Books is a child-centred project based in Henley which aims to give away free books to children of all backgrounds and ages without any discrimination..
Julie De Bastion, Founder of Own Books, said: “We are a charity giving children a supply of free books so they can enjoy literacy and learning and reading without obligation to return the books or to purchase them. We started in 2014 with one school and now we have roughly about 100 schools enjoying this scheme.”
The following organisations were also awarded KAVS.
Helping Hands Community Projectin Leamington. The Veterans Contact Point - a military charity which supports those who have served in any of the UK Armed Forces who live in Warwickshire, Solihull and Coventry. Rugby Autism Networkand also the Graham Fulford Charitable Trust which was set up to promote awareness of Prostate Cancer.
