The King’s Award for Voluntary Service

The King’s Award for Voluntary Service is the  highest award given to volunteer groups across the UK for outstanding work done in their local communities. The first awards, then The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service were announced on 2 June 2003 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of The Queen’s coronation. The award is regarded as the MBE for voluntary groups.

Any group of two or more people doing volunteering work that is a social, economic or environmental service to the local community can be nominated for the award. In order to qualify, volunteer groups should be doing work that: provides activities and meets a need for people living in the local community; is supported, recognised and respected by the local community and the people who benefit from it; has developed and is run locally.

The 2025 Awards will be announced on 14 November 2025, HM The King’s birthday

How to make a nomination

Details of how to make a nomination, together with Guidance Notes are available here. Nominations for the 2026 Award will open on 1 September 2025 and close at the end of November.