Eight outstanding voluntary organisations across Merseyside have been honoured with the highest award possible for volunteer groups - The King's Award for Voluntary Service.
Prestigious Recognition for Community Heroes
Following approval from His Majesty The King, the announcement was made on November 14 that these eight groups from across the Liverpool City Region have been selected for this lifetime achievement. The King's Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award a voluntary organisation can receive in the UK, equivalent to an MBE, and is awarded for life.
The Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside, Mr Mark Blundell, expressed his delight at the achievement. "I send my congratulations to all of these tremendous organisations whose volunteers consistently go above and beyond to help others in their local area," he said. "They are an example to us all!"
Meet the Merseyside Recipients
The successful organisations represent the diverse range of voluntary work happening across the region:
- Knowsley: Knowsley Prescot Festival of Music and the Arts
- Liverpool: Breckfield and North Everton Neighbourhood Council Ltd
- St Helens: Home-Start St Helens and Newton-le-Willows FC
- Sefton: Ainsdale in Bloom, Bootle Action Group CIC, and Sea Cadets Sefton
- Wirral: Moreton in Bloom
This represents an outstanding achievement for the region, with Merseyside groups making up a significant proportion of the 232 awards given across the entire United Kingdom.
Celebrating Decades of Voluntary Excellence
The award scheme has a rich history, having been created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee. Previously known as the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS), it has been shining a light on the fantastic work of voluntary groups from all across the UK for many years.
The Lord-Lieutenant will present the awards to the winning organisations in the New Year, giving each group the royal recognition they deserve for their exceptional contributions to their communities.
The recognition comes as nominations for the 2026 awards have opened, with groups across the country having until December 1 2025 to put forward their nominations for consideration.
