Equivalent to an MBE, the King’s Award for Voluntary Services

(KAVS) is the highest award given to voluntary groups in the UK.

It is a lifetime award.
 

Created in 2002 to celebrate Her Majesty the late Queen’s

Golden Jubilee, and previously known as The Queen’s Award

for Voluntary Service (QAVS), the Award has been recognising

the outstanding work of volunteers for over 20 years. His Majesty

The King pledged to continue the Award to ensure that volunteers

from across the UK are recognised for the services they provide

within their communities.

Nominations are received from all across the UK and, following

eligibility checks, nominations are assessed first locally and

then nationally.

A shortlist is then presented to His Majesty the King for final approval.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to KAVS

Awardees but there are 3 key characteristics that the National

Committee look for:-
 

1. Groups that are truly outstanding and making a big difference to their local community.

2. Groups where volunteers, rather than paid staff, are in the driving seat.

3. Groups that have the highest standards in everything they do. 

​

​

The successful groups are announced each year on the monarch’s

birthday so the formal announcement comes on the King's

birthday on the 14th November each year. Following the official

announcement, the KAVS Crystal Award and Certificate were

presented to us in January 2025by  Sir Ian Dudson CBE, the local

Lord-Lieutenant for Staffordshire.