Proud Recipients Of This Year’s ‘MBEs For Volunteers’ Are Announced

Published on: 2 Jun, 2019
Updated on: 2 Jun, 2019

Guildford voluntary groups are among seven Surrey recipients of the 2019 Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Hundreds of dedicated volunteers, ranging in age from 18 to over 80, who work with these groups across Surrey have had their outstanding contributions recognised and announced to coincide with the UK’s Volunteers Week, June 1 to 7.

It is the equivalent of the MBE for local groups of volunteers and sets the national benchmark for excellence in volunteering.

The Guildford Town Guides offer free guided history walks.

The Guildford Town Guides are proud to have won the award. The leader of the guides, Nick Bale, said: “I am delighted that our efforts to introduce new and surprising elements in some of the walks that we lead has been recognised. I would like to pay tribute to the contributions every volunteer makes to our continued success.”

Its volunteer guides have taken thousands of residents and visitors on a journey back over 1,000 years to learn about the history of the town and its residents of the past.

This includes The Guildford Story walk, and several special themed walks including Lewis Carroll, Medieval Guildford, Victorian Guildford, industries, pubs and inns and the more recent additions of special walks on the life of Alan Turing and his family in the town, and leading lights, looking at the famous artistic residents.

These walks are all free for the public to join and more details including dates and times can be found at: www.guildfordwalks.org.uk

A group of guides and friends will be at the Guildford Farmers’ Market on Tuesday, June 4, in front of the Guildhall in the High Street, some dressed for a garden party. They will be handing out chocolates or similar to passers by.

Some of the guides attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May, along with other recipients of this year’s award.

Volunteers of the Surrey Hills Society who also attended the garden party included its former vice-chairman, Ken Bare. He is probably the most well-known volunteer with the society, as he has been the lead at shows and fetes across Surrey for the last 10 years and is also the main public speaker for the talks programme that is delivered to a variety of organisations across the South East.

Mr Bare said: “It was such a privilege to be invited to Buckingham Palace. Being a representative for all the volunteers across the Surrey Hills was a great honour. It was a wonderful occasion and we were lucky enough to have a beautiful sunny day to enjoy the magnificent garden at its best.”

The Surrey Hills Society is an independent charity and membership organisation promoting the positive enjoyment and care of the Surrey Hills area of outstanding natural beauty for those who live, work in or visit the area.

It celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2018 and is run almost entirely by volunteers. Due to this high level of volunteering, all the monies received by the society (apart from running costs) are used to support the outreach and wider goals as described in the charity’s aims.

The chairman of the society, Gordon Jackson, said: “I am so pleased that our volunteers have been given the recognition that they deserve and we look forward to continuing to promote the iconic and distinctive landscape of the Surrey Hills and to help discover and conserve its beauty.”

The vice-president of the Surrey Hills Society, Chris Howard.

Its vice-president, Chris Howard, added: “I would recommend volunteering with us to anyone who shares a passion for the Surrey Hills’ unique landscape and wants to learn more about this wonderful countryside on their doorstep.”

Other recipients of the award from Surrey include: Guildford-based Friday Swimmers. It is a club for physically disabled and post-operative patients, run entirely by volunteers.

It is a registered charity working in conjunction with Guildford’s Spectrum leisure complex to provide assistance and therapy in a safe pool environment for those with a physical disability, regardless of swimming ability or age.

Dyscover: a Leatherhead-based charity providing long-term support and opportunities to people with aphasia and their families.

Patchworking Garden Project: based in Dorking.

Stripey Stork: based in Reigate and Redhil. It collects donations of toys, clothes and other essential items for babies and children and, after checking they meet current UK safety standards, re-home them with local families experiencing hardship.

The Millennium Embroidery Group from Shepperton: Based at The Sunbury Gallery, an educational resource with a programme of exhibitions, workshops and talks.

They will all be presented with their award by the Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey, Michael More-Molyneux, at a later date.

More details about local volunteering opportunities plus advice for organisations, groups and charities who rely on volunteer help on Voluntary Action South West Surrey’s website.