A GROUP from Ryedale have been shortlisted for the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service – the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.

The North Yorkshire nominations shortlist includes Sheriff Hutton Jumblies, who have raised more than £250,000 for village organisations, along with local and national charities, since they started in 1986.

The award is given annually for outstanding achievement by groups of volunteers who regularly devote their time to helping and improving the quality of life of others in the community and providing an outstanding service.

Volunteer groups are encouraged to step forward for nomination for the Queen’s Award, which was created in 2002 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation, and is equivalent to an MBE for volunteer groups.

Award winners will be announced on Friday, June 2, the anniversary of HM the Queen’s Coronation.

A presentation ceremony for North Yorkshire’s winners will be held by the Lord-Lieutenant in September.

Many different types of organisations have won the award since it was launched, including groups working to improve the local environment, running community centres, managing play schemes and supporting families.

“The award recognises the increasingly crucial work of volunteers who give up spare time to help others and provide services in their community,” said Barry Dodd, Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire.

“It also gives groups a chance to inspire others to get involved and make a positive impact.

“North Yorkshire has a great tradition of volunteering and this is reflected in the quality of work by the bumper crop of nominations this year.”

Winning groups receive a certificate signed by The Queen and a commemorative piece of crystal for display at the group’s main place of operation.

The awards are presented on behalf of The Queen by the local Lord-Lieutenant or Lieutenant-Governor.

The 2018 awards round is now open and nominations for groups considered to be outstanding must be submitted by midnight on Sunday, September 15.

Any group of two or more people doing voluntary work, which provides a social, economic or environmental service to the local community, can be nominated.

The majority of the group must be volunteers and be locally-based.

Nominations are assessed by a regional committee before being passed to a national committee for final selection and recommendation to the Queen.

Details can be found at qavs.direct.gov.uk/guidance-notes