Wirral Festival of Firsts Team receives the Queens Award for Voluntary Service 2017
It is announced today that Wirral Festival of Firsts has been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. This award was created by The Queen in 2002 to mark the occasion of her Golden Jubilee, recognising excellence in voluntary activities carried out by groups in the community. It is the MBE for volunteer groups.
The work the Festival volunteer team does for the community was very much admired by the independent Assessment Committee, chaired by Sir Martyn Lewis CBE. The QAVS team in London said: “The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service 2017 represents a tremendous achievement for your organisation. We hope that everyone involved, and particularly your volunteers, feel immensely proud of the recognition that this Award represents.” Dame Lorna Muirhead Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside wrote of her “great delight” at the news of the award. “I know only too well, how high the bar is set by the Selection Panel”, she added. Two representatives of the team attended a party at Buckingham Palace on 1st June.
Festival Chair Linda Gardiner said: “I am thrilled and proud that the commitment and tireless work of our team of volunteers over the months and years has been recognised in this way”. Judy Ugonna, Secretary added: “This award is not just for our present team, but also for all who volunteered in previous years and we invite them to celebrate with us at this year’s festival!”
Wirral Festival of Firsts is a lively community arts festival established in 2011 by John Gorman supported by the late Stirling Dutton, former chair and treasurer who passed away after a long illness last August. The Festival is proud to be 100% volunteer run. This year the Festival runs from 7-22 July with a packed schedule of cultural and community events, including partner programmes at Melrose Hall, West Kirby Arts Centre and for the first time in 2017, the Greasby Centre. Tickets are on sale through the website and in several shops in Hoylake and West Kirby. The Festival’s printed programme is available to pick up in some libraries, galleries and other public spots. The website gives full information: www.festivaloffirsts.com
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to volunteer groups across the UK. For more information about the Queens Award for Voluntary Service:
https://www.gov.uk/queens-award-for-voluntary-service
