Press release

Diamond Jubilee voluntary award celebrates Olympic efforts

Voluntary organisations are being encouraged to submit nominations for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Volunteering Award 2012.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

With the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games highlighting the immeasurable contribution of volunteering to national life, voluntary organisations are being encouraged to submit nominations for a prestigious national award, the Cabinet Office announced today.

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Volunteering Award 2012, which is overseen by the Cabinet Office on behalf of Buckingham Palace, was announced in February 2012 to commemorate Her Majesty’s 60-year reign.

The deadline for the Award has now been extended from 9 September until 16 October to enable more time for nominations relating to groups involved in supporting the successful delivery of the Games and promoting the sporting, cultural and social legacy.

Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd said:

London 2012 has been a wonderful success and much of this rests firmly on the shoulders of volunteers, as does a huge amount of other good work done throughout the year, with volunteers selflessly working to tackle pressing social problems, reaching out to the disadvantaged and bringing communities together.

Whether people or groups have volunteered themselves, benefited from volunteering, or simply admired the work volunteers do, I would encourage them to nominate their chosen organisation for this timely and fitting honour.

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Volunteering Award 2012 is a special, one-off category of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, which was established in 2002 as part of the UK honours system and is considered to be the MBE for community voluntary groups.

Whilst the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service recognises the work of grassroots organisations at a local level, the Diamond Jubilee category seeks to recognise groups that operate nationwide.

Further details on the criteria for eligibility, as well as details on how to make an online nomination, can be found at www.direct.gov.uk/qavs

Notes to editors

1. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Volunteering Award is a new national award for 2012 only. The nomination deadline has been extended from 9 September to 16 October, to give organisations that fit the criteria of the award a final chance to put in a nomination. Those invited to apply are: * national organisations operating in any of the four nations of the United Kingdom who involve volunteers in their work * organisations, whether national or other, which have been involved with the engagement of volunteers or volunteering activities since the announcement of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and intend to continue to operate as a legacy of London 2012 to promote volunteering. Groups which have come together specifically to provide support to the Games, and operate within a non-Games organisation, will be considered on a case-by-case basis, especially if they intend to use this experience to promote future volunteering

2. Further details on the criteria for eligibility for the Diamond Jubilee Award can be found at www.direct.gov.uk/qavs as well as details on how to make an online nomination.

Published 3 September 2012