THE 23 Essex voluntary groups nominated for this year’s Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services were announced at a special ceremony last week.

The winners of the QAVS are announced every year on 2nd June to coincide with HM the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

The nominated groups are:

1. 3rd Chalkwell Bay Sea Scouts
2. 57 West
3. Canvey Island Youth Project (Yellow Door)
4. Chess Hub (Church Homeless Emergency Support)
5. Children’s Burn’s Club
6. City of Chelmsford Mencap
7. Colchester and District Talking Newspaper
8. Colchester Foodbank
9. Essex Police Special Constabulary
10. Helping Hands Essex
11. Kids Inspire
12. Lads Need Dads
13. Patient Health Group, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow
14. Rainbow Services
15. Support 4 Sight
16. South Essex Community Hub
17. Southend Community Events CIC
18. St John the Baptist Church and Tilbury Foodbank
19. Templesprings Music Centre
20. Volunteer Police Cadets, Essex Police
21. The Wilderness Foundation
22. Waltham Abbey Youth 2000
23. YMCA Essex

Two QAVS winners from last year also attended the reception to share their experience with the nominated groups:

• Hearing Help Essex
• Footprints Community Group, Rochford

The QAVS Reception brings together all local authorities from across Essex, the Community Voluntary Services (CVSs) from across the county and others closely connected to the voluntary sector. Apart from saying “Thank You and Well Done” to excellent voluntary groups, the reception is to promote the QAVS to those closely connected to the voluntary sector and encourage them to nominate their excellent local voluntary groups to give them the opportunity to get the highest form of recognition for their work in the UK, the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services.

Jennifer Tolhurst, Lord Lieutenant for the County of Essex, said, “The voluntary sector in Essex make a huge contribution to the well-being and life of our great county. It is wonderful to see so many groups nominated for this prestigious award and to be able to bring together those who are close to the voluntary sector to encourage them to find really outstanding groups for future nomination.

Councillor John Jowers, Chairman of Essex County Council, said, “It is a great pleasure to jointly host this QAVS Reception with the Lord Lieutenant, in conjunction with Southend and Thurrock Councils, and sponsored by MITIE Facilities Services, to thank the excellent voluntary groups who have won and those who have been nominated for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services. The reception is also an opportunity to promote the Queen’s Award for future nominations.”