King's Award for Voluntary Service honour 250 volunteer groups
Voluntary organisations in communities across the UK awarded highest honour, equivalent to an MBE, for their work across mental health, youth, environment, community, arts and heritage
A total of 250 volunteer-led groups, whose work supports communities across the United Kingdom and Crown Dependencies, have been recognised with the King’s Award for Voluntary Service. The award is the highest honour a voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.
The award, announced today for 2026 recipients, happens annually on the King’s birthday. The award recognises groups transforming lives through a wide variety of volunteer-led organisations, in areas including mental health support, youth services, environmental projects and community initiatives.
This year’s recipients include 250 organisations from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and the Isle of Man, with 87% of awards going to groups outside London and the South East.
Recipients range from village hall committees to hospices and community radio stations to football clubs. Their volunteers support people of all ages, abilities and demographics, from children taking part in sport to adults receiving end-of-life care. Organisations like these play a central role in tackling isolation and sustaining local life.
Previously known as The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the award was established in 2002 to mark Her Late Majesty The Queen’s Golden Jubilee. His Majesty The King continued the award following his accession, and Their Majesties remain committed to celebrating outstanding volunteering across the country.
Minister for Civil Society Vicky Foxcroft said:
Volunteers are the lifeblood of our communities. Every day, they help tackle loneliness, support people’s mental health and look after the places we call home.
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service recognises the very best of that work. From Essex to Renfrewshire, these 250 groups show what people can achieve when they come together with purpose and care for those around them.
Volunteering also builds skills, confidence and a sense of belonging, helping to break down barriers to opportunity. To every volunteer recognised today: thank you, and congratulations.
KAVS Chair, Sir Martyn Lewis CBE said:
Hats off, once again, to the UK’s remarkable army of postcode people!
For at least three years, and often for decades, these volunteers have gone above and beyond to tackle the issues that matter most in their communitiesThey are groups of friends, neighbours and colleagues who come together to help build and sustain the very fabric of our four nations. They spot a need, and they do something about it, quickly and effectively.
They now join thousands of past recipients in earning the praise of the Lord Lieutenants, their Deputies and a formidable panel of national volunteering experts. Their judgments deliver a top award that says ‘Your King salutes you’.
Recipients include:
- Skanda Vale Hospice CIO, Dyfed, Wales – provides free, volunteer-led palliative care for adults with life-limiting conditions. Beginning with home care in 1993, they have since developed day hospice, inpatient respite and remote companionship. Operating without statutory funding, they offer compassionate support through skilled volunteers and a small core of paid nurses.
- Junior Up Helly Aa, Shetland Islands – a fire festival, bringing together children and young people, the group celebrates Shetland’s Viking heritage and featuring a torch-lit procession, the burning of a Viking-style longship (galley), and other elements. The Junior Up Helly Aa gives young people an opportunity to engage with and preserve their cultural heritage.
- Harry Gregg Foundation, County Londonderry – provides disability football sessions for children and young people with learning difficulties and physical disabilities. The group co-ordinates and delivers the largest Small Sided Games Centre in the country at Ulster University’s Coleraine Campus each week during the football season.
- Evesham Adventure Playground Association, Worcestershire – these volunteers support wraparound childcare, holiday and youth clubs, an Alternative Provision, a bike-recycling project and children’s bike library, as well as the community pantry and group space. Their dedication ensures free, nutritious food is available all day.
- Nanu Sports Foundation, West Yorkshire – a group of over 30 volunteers, this 20-year-old organisation was established to provide a safe environment for children,steering them away from crime and negative influences. These volunteers play a vital role in delivering sports programmes that not only promote physical activity but also teach essential life skills.
- Caldmore Village Festival, Caldmore – volunteers run gardening sessions, workshops, and community events that nurture wellbeing, creativity, and belonging. Once a disused plot, it’s now a thriving green heart of the West Midlands, open daily for everyone to enjoy and connect.
Nominations are assessed locally by Lord Lieutenants before a committee of national, independent assessors reviews the recommendations nationally. The assessment identifies groups that uphold the highest standards in volunteering and those making both tangible and significant differences to their community.
Nominations for the 2027 awards are now open on The King’s Award for Voluntary Service website, with applications closing on 1 December 2026.
ENDS
Notes to editors
- More information on The King’s Award for Voluntary Service can be found at https://kavs.dcms.gov.uk/.
- A full list of 2026 awardees will be available on the KAVS website and The Gazette
- Any group consisting of three or more people participating in voluntary work for more than three years can be nominated
- Full eligibility criteria and nomination details are available online at https://kavs.dcms.gov.uk/make-a-nomination/about-nominating/