On the 23rd September, I was invited by The Kingswood Trust to attend the presentation ceremony of its Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.
The Kingswood Trust is a fantastic environmental outdoor education charity that connects children, their families and the wider community to nature for health, education and wellbeing. It provides school days and stays, family days out, community group activities and team building. The Queen’s Award has been granted to the Trust for the positive impact it is making on the lives of others.
Guests – including myself, Councillor Kath Perry, Councillor Kate Williams, Hugh Porter MBE and Anita Lonsbrough MBE – were greeted by Rachel Wells, Charity Manager, and David Harris, Chair of the Kingswood Trust Board, before we were given a brief tour of the centre and its amazing facilities.
David began the presentation ceremony with a welcome to all, which was followed by a talk from Rachel that celebrated the work of the Kingswood Trust volunteers. The Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire, Mr Ian Dudson, then presented the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service to Rachel Wells and Len Scrivens, an ex-pupil and long-standing supporter of the centre. He then bestowed the accompanying certificate to Di Tordoff, one of the Trust’s first ‘community friends’ a volunteer who has been at the centre for over 14 years, and David Harris, who has been a committed advocate to all that the Kingswood Trust represents for 26 years.
The presentation was followed by the cutting of the celebratory cake and a lovely afternoon tea, prepared by the kitchen team at the centre.
I would like to congratulate The Kingswood Trust on this fantastic achievement and thank everyone involved for their continued commitment and dedication to bringing the community closer to nature.
For more information about The Kingswood Trust visit https://discover-kingswood.org.uk/.