The King’s Award for Voluntary Service 2024
Every day, millions of people across the UK are making a difference by volunteering. Each year, outstanding examples of this work are celebrated through the King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS).
Created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee and previously known as The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS), the Award has been shining a light on the fantastic work of voluntary groups from all across the UK for many years.
Equivalent to an MBE, KAVS is the highest Award given to local voluntary groups in the UK, and they are awarded for life.
His Majesty The King has approved the KAVS National Assessment Committee’s recommendation that the volunteers of the Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve should receive this prestigious award this year.
The citation for the award is:
Supporting and developing Rye Harbour Nature Reserve and its wildlife for the benefit of local and wider interests.
Early next year the Lord-Lieutenant for East Sussex, as The King’s representative, will present The Friends with a certificate and a commemorative crystal at a local ceremony.
This award is confirmation that The Friends is a special group and that together with other nature reserve partners, they have achieved so much.
The nature reserve is managed by Sussex Wildlife Trust and together with The Friends they have enlarged and improved the wildlife habitats at the nature reserve.
They have also helped to improve visitor access and facilities, with the most notable project being the amazing Discovery Centre, that opened in 2021 to welcome the visitors that had increased from 100,000 to 400,000 since the start of the Millenium.
For more detail about the nature reserve visit – https://rye.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/
The chair of The Friends, Dr Barry Yates said: “The few pioneers that established The Friends in 1973 would be pleased and amazed with its 2,000 supporters and what they have achieved. They have made a tremendous contribution to this very special place and everyone that has supported The Friends should feel very proud!”
Chris Corrigan, CEO of Sussex Wildlife Trust said: “We are thrilled that The Friends have been selected for this well-earned and prestigious Award. They are an exceptional group of volunteers who have given an extraordinary amount of time and financial support over many years to the management of the reserve”.
One example of the many things that the volunteers from The Friends organise and run, is the “Guide in a Hide” activity close to the Discovery Centre. Every month it introduces more than a hundred adults and children to birdwatching. Looking through binoculars and telescopes for the first time there are often amazing reactions when visitors see special birds up close.
Click here to see the Rye Town Crier announcing the award.
If you would like to support the work of the Friends then visit – https://ryeharbourfriends.net/join-us
