Queen pays tribute to Wantage, Oxon volunteering group with prestigious Award 

The Independent Advice Centre from Wantage has been announced as one of 79 volunteering groups from across theUK winning this year’s Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, recognising the outstanding contributions made to local communities by groups voluntarily devoting their time for the benefit of others. 

The prestigious National Honour, which is equivalent to the MBE, sets the national benchmark for excellence in volunteering, and the activities of those awarded have been judged of the highest standard. 

The Independent Advice Centre has received the Award from Her Majesty for its work in providing advice and support to avoid suffering through lack of knowledge and transporting vulnerable people. The Centre has 70 volunteers, and last year they helped around 12,000 people either with advice or being transported to hospital, doctors, and various other destinations by volunteer drivers. 

The 2008 Award winners were selected from 379 groups nominated by members of the public who have been helped personally or witnessed the benefits of a group’s work in their community. The Independent Advice Centre will be presented with an exclusive crystal trophy marking their success at a special local ceremony being given by the Queen’s Lord Lieutenant for Oxfordshire, Hugo Brunner. 

Speaking of their success, Mrs Ann Rowe from The Independent Advice Centre said: “The Centre is incredibly proud to accept this Award on behalf of all its volunteers and we can now be officially recognised as the Queen’s “Unsung Heroes”.  This recognition of hard and unconditional work done by the volunteers is a tremendous boost for them and will hopefully motivate others to volunteer to help their communities.” 

Phil Hope, Minister for the Third Sector, said, "I’m sure everyone in Wantage will join me in offering The Independent Advice Centre our congratulations and sincere thanks.  

“The work of The Independent Advice Centre demonstrates the positive impact that volunteers have on communities, work they undertake without seeking any kind of accolade. That is why I’m particularly pleased their efforts are recognised by the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.” 

More than 600 groups around the UK have now won the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, over the six years since it was created by Her Majesty to mark the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002. 

For details of all this year’s Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service winners and information on how to nominate a group that really makes a difference, visit www.queensawardvoluntary.gov.uk, where a nomination form can be downloaded.