Avon County Scouts receives Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service

Avon County Scouts volunteers have been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.

Scouting in the Avon area supports young people from all walks of life to reach their full potential and become the best possible citizens of the future while having fun and learning skills for life. They are fully inclusive and totally embedded within the community taking part in a plethora of activities and having a profound impact on hundreds of children.

“It is a real honour for our volunteers to receive such fantastic recognition for all their hard work and commitment.” County Commissioner, Graham Brant

Avon County Scouts is one of 244 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups from across the United Kingdom and Channel Islands to receive the prestigious award this year. The number of nominations and awards has increased year on year since the awards were introduced in 2002, showing that the voluntary sector is thriving and full of innovative ideas to make life better for those around them.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups to benefit their local communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Winners are announced each year on 2 June – the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation. Award winners this year are wonderfully diverse.

Avon Scouts will receive the award crystal and certificate from the Lord-Lieutenant of the City and County of Bristol Mrs Peaches Golding OBE later this summer. In addition, two volunteers from Avon County Scouts will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in 2023 (depending on restrictions at the time), along with other recipients of this year’s Award.

Graham Brant, County Commissioner for Avon Scouts was delighted that our County’s work has been recognised, and this Award pays tribute to the hard work and commitment of our volunteers.

Scouting in Avon Scout County is one of the largest Scout Counties in the UK. We have over nearly 11,948 members and over 3,437 adult volunteers. We cover a large area with Bristol in the centre of the County, from Weston Super Mare in the south to the villages surrounding Thornbury, South Gloucestershire in the North. It takes in the cities of Bath and Bristol and towns of Nailsea, Portishead and Keynsham.

To make this large area more manageable we section it into nine Scouting administrative Districts. Scouting membership has shown significant growth in the last twelve years. Transforming the lives of young people by providing an inspiring programme of everyday adventure. Over 200 activities, including adventure glider flights, skiing, rock climbing and water zorbing are on offer. Scouting is shaped by young people in partnership with adults and we are always look for new volunteers.