A TOTAL of four charities from the North Yorkshire Lieutenancy have been recognised in the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. 

Lord Lieutenants represent the monarch in each of the UK’s ceremonial counties.

As well as Home-Start Richmondshire (HSR), reported yesterday, the three additional being honoured are Harrogate Food Angels, Washburn Heritage Centre Volunteers and The Grassington Hub.

  • North Yorkshire family charity receives Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service

Harrogate Food Angels deliver meals to 140 people in Harrogate and Ripon  a day, bringing hot meals to the ageing population who may be vulnerable, living alone, socially detached and lonely, many of which have difficulties cooking and under-nourishment is commonplace, says the group.

The Angels’ 83 volunteers also identify needs and advise other agencies; they undertake an array of extra minor tasks such as feeding pets and delivering newspapers, and run an innovative scheme with local businesses that brings young professionals into volunteering.

The Grassington Hub, which has also received an award, is a volunteer run organisation, supported by one paid employee, providing a range of services from its well-established library.

It offers free advice, learning activities such as IT, co-ordinating transport services, and supporting new and more established initiatives such as lunch and tea clubs.

The Hub ensures that people are informed about what is going on in their community through traditional means such as notice boards but also through the village website and Facebook pages. At its heart, the organisation says it is combating loneliness and isolation in a community where the average age is 54.

Similarly, Washburn Heritage Centre Volunteers is a volunteer led organisation with over 100 volunteers who provide multiple benefits to the local community.

Without the Washburn Centre, this very rural community would not have a focal point and there would be no way of preserving the heritage and culture of the region.

As well as visitors, the facility is regularly used by residents and at times is the only social contact particularly for the elderly and those living alone. It provides a centre for communication, keeping in touch with the mainly rurally located residents and an informal networking organisation.

They organise the tearoom, social events, musical concerts, guest speakers and put on varying exhibitions with a focus on specific aspects of the heritage and community.

The awards are announced on Tuesday, June 2 ahead of the Queen’s official birthday. The successful groups are due to receive their awards at a reception at the home of the Lord-Lieutenant, Mrs Jo Ropner, in the autumn.

Mrs Ropner said: “I am delighted to congratulate the four charities with this award, all of which are brilliant examples of what can be achieved by volunteers. It is their hard work and dedication that improves the life of so many in our local communities. 

"This award, the highest a charity can receive in the UK, recognises excellence in various areas of voluntary work. I greatly look forward to meeting all of them at the awards ceremony, once we are able to safely gather.”