King's Award for Voluntary Service honours 231 volunteer groups
Communities across the United Kingdom will benefit as 231 volunteer-led groups receive The King's Award for Voluntary Service - the highest accolade a voluntary group can receive in the UK, equivalent to an MBE.
- Communities across the UK benefit from award-winning volunteers tackling loneliness, supporting health and preserving local outdoor environments
- Megan’s Starr Foundation, Ballymacash Sports Academy, Northumbria Basketry Group, Side by Side Counselling and Guernsey Conservation Volunteers among those awarded
The award honours groups transforming lives through mental health support, youth services, environmental projects and community initiatives.
Previously known as The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the award was established in 2002 to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee. His Majesty The King continued the award following his accession.
This year’s recipients include 185 organisations from England, 25 from Scotland, 16 from Northern Ireland and 5 from Wales, with 78% of awards going to groups outside London and the South East.
Groups receiving the award work across mental health, youth development, environmental causes, community support, arts and heritage. Their volunteers work to combat isolation, provide specialist care and strengthen local communities.
Minister for Civil Society, Stephanie Peacock said:
These awards celebrate the extraordinary volunteers who are the lifeblood of our communities. Day in, day out, they give their time, energy and compassion to transform lives and strengthen the places we call home.
Whether supporting people struggling with mental health, creating opportunities for young people to thrive, preserving our natural heritage, or simply being there for those who need it most – these groups embody the very best of community spirit.
Their work reminds us that when people come together with purpose and determination, there is no challenge too great to overcome. To every volunteer recognised today: thank you, and my warmest congratulations.
KAVS Chair, Sir Martyn Lewis CBE said:
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service is the UK’s top award for groups of remarkable citizens transforming many aspects of life in their local communities. For over two decades these annual awards have shown the people of our country at their very best, coming together from all sections of society to touch virtually every area of need.
They also reflect the key role which volunteers are playing in times of rapid change. Whether driven by a neighbourly passion to help others or to achieve that well recognised “high” of personal satisfaction, volunteering taps into a rich spirit of generosity and kindness.
So let’s celebrate those volunteer-driven groups whose drive and excellence achieves so much for their communities in so many different ways. They are the very best of us.
Nominations are assessed locally by Lord Lieutenants before a committee of National Assessors reviews recommendations. The assessment identifies groups making tangible community impact, steered by volunteers rather than paid staff, maintaining the highest standards.
Recipients include:
- Megan’s Starr Foundation – a youth mental health charity providing support to young people aged 11-25 in Dyfed, Wales. Projects include the Megan’s Starr Community Coffee House and outreach programmes. Activities include volunteer training in barista skills and mental health awareness, counseling, peer mentoring, and intergenerational projects that address loneliness and empower young people with practical skills.
- Ballymacash Sports Academy (BSA) Ltd – an academy providing a 4G football pitch and community hub building with a gym and recovery suite in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The group also provides access to wellbeing and leisure activities including a community craft group, pocket forest school and garden allotments for the community.
- Northumbria Basketry Group – preserves varieties of willow by planting and harvesting them for basket production in Northumbria. The group hosts workshops for people to learn basket making, helping individuals to learn a new skill and foster a sense of community. The willow they plant prevents river erosion has been used practically, such as fencing for a local school.
- Banff, Macduff & District Men’s Shed – provides a safe environment for men from a wide variety of backgrounds to come together and develop an effective support network in Banffshire, Scotland.
- Side by Side Counselling – provides residents access to safe, free, open ended therapeutic counselling to meet personal needs in Greater Manchester.
- Guernsey Conservation Volunteers – works to preserve Guernsey’s unique natural environment. The group is restoring biodiversity through their work eradicating invasive species and saving famous and much loved bluebell woods.
This year’s announcement supports the government’s Plan for Change commitment to break down barriers to opportunity. Volunteer groups create pathways for people to contribute to their communities and develop new skills.
Nominations are now open for the 2026 awards on The King’s Award for Voluntary Service website, with applications closing on 1 December 2025.
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 2025 awardees will be available on the KAVS website and The Gazette
- Any group 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/