Spelthorne Litter Pickers, a group of over 1100 volunteers based in the borough of Spelthorne, have been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service for 2024. This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.
The group, formed in 2020, organises volunteers for litter picking events throughout the borough, working closely with Spelthorne Borough Council to help to tackle litter, fly tipping and anti-social behaviour. They aim to create a greater sense of involvement and belonging by including children, young people and businesses in voluntary work in the local area. The group enables people to get out of doors, be physically active, and get to know one another through group events, social media and email communication, improving community cohesion and respect for the environment. Its stated aim is to make Spelthorne the cleanest, greenest, borough in the UK.
Spelthorne Litter Pickers is one of 281 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 fantastic volunteers are contributing to their local communities and working to make life better for those around them.
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups to support their communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate Her Majesty The late Queen’s Golden Jubilee and, was continued following the accession of His Majesty The King. 2024 marks the second year of The King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
Recipients are announced annually on 14th November, The King’s Birthday. Award winners this year are wonderfully diverse and include volunteer groups from across the UK, such as a mental health and wellbeing support network for veterans and their families in Yorkshire; a group preserving a historic 12th century castle in south Wales; volunteers providing English lessons for refugees in Stirling and an organisation providing a opportunities to engage in the arts for people with learning disabilities in County Fermanagh.
Representatives of Spelthorne Litter Pickers will receive the award crystal and certificate from Mr Michael More-Molyneux, Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey, later this summer. In addition, two volunteers from Spelthorne Litter Pickers will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May or June 2025, along with other recipients of this year’s Award.
Shirley Lunn, Co-Founder and Chair of Spelthorne Litter Pickers said: “We are very honoured to receive this prestigious award. We owe everything to our dedicated team of volunteers who go out in all weathers to keep our borough clean and safe for everyone. They are an amazing group of people and fully deserve this award.
