Congratulations to Shropshire Child Contact Centres (SCCC), a group of three NACCC accredited supported centres operating across Shropshire, who recently received the coveted King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS) in recognition of the outstanding commitment demonstrated by their team of volunteers.
Equivalent to an MBE, KAVS is the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.
The prestigious award, previously known as the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS), was created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee. The award shines a light on the fantastic work of voluntary groups across the country, and they are awarded for life.
Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne officially presented the KAVS Award to Shropshire Child Contact Centres Chair, Pat Barrow, and Manager, Valerie Collard at a recent celebration event which took place at the Cavalier Equestrian Centre, Much Wenlock.
We are immensely proud to have received the Kings Award for Voluntary Service and we are honoured to be recognised for the dedication our volunteers have demonstrated over the years. Some of our volunteers have been with us for over 25 years; playing a crucial role in enabling contact between children and parents following a family breakdown and helping families to rebuild trust during highly emotional times. The award is testament to the commitment shown by our volunteers who work tirelessly to provide a safe, supportive and welcoming environment where children can enjoy spending time with their families.
Valerie Collard, Manager, Shropshire Child Contact Services
Several of the volunteers enjoyed attending the celebration day where Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal demonstrated a good understanding of the vital work contact centres perform and expressed strong support for the volunteers with her kind remarks.
As a thank you to SCCC volunteers, a celebratory afternoon tea was held in Shrewsbury and volunteers from all three centres were invited to attend. The Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire officially presented the volunteers with the Kings Award for Voluntary Service.
Well done to everyone at SCCC on receiving this incredible and well-deserved award. NACCC are delighted that the volunteers have been recognised for their hard work and amazing contributions, enabling supportive family time sessions to take place across Shropshire.