Hastings & Rother YMCA, locally known as the Y Centre, based in St Leonards-on-Sea has today been awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.
The Y Centre was nominated by three of their local Centre users for their work with families and young people. The Centre has developed a closely bonded community who offer mutual support to each other and have created a warm and welcoming environment. Hastings & Rother YMCA is one of only 244 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year.
Their work, along with others from across the UK reminds us of all the ways in which fantastic volunteers are contributing to their local communities and working to make life better for those around them. The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups to benefit their communities. Created in 2002 to celebrate The Queen’s Golden Jubilee, recipients are announced each year on 2nd June, the anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation.
Representatives of Hastings & Rother YMCA will receive the award crystal and certificate from HM Lord-Lieutenant of East Sussex Andrew Blackman, later this summer. In addition, two volunteers from Hastings & Rother YMCA
will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2023 (depending on
restrictions at the time), along with other recipients of this year’s Award.
Judith Monk, Chair of Hastings & Rother YMCA says “I am delighted that our group’s work has been recognised, our small staff team and generously, tireless volunteers have always given everything and more to encouraging and supporting each other and our much loved community.”
