Gateway Awarded an MBE

112 outstanding UK voluntary groups are today honoured as recipients of The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services 2012. Now in its 10^th year, it has given out 1,092 Awards in total.

This unique UK National Honour was created by Her Majesty to mark her Golden Jubilee in 2002 and to recognise the outstanding contributions made to local communities by groups of volunteers, it has the equivalent status to that of a single MBE.

 

The recipients being honoured in Essex, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock today are:

• The Manningtree Community First Responders
• Gateway Community Radio, Basildon
• Homeless Action Research Project (HARP), Southend-on-Sea
• Havens Hospices, Southend-on-Sea

Note:- See below for comments from Lord Petre, Lord Lieutenant for the County of Essex.

This prestigious UK National Honour recognises and sets, the national benchmark for excellence in volunteering, with the work of those awarded being judged to be of the highest standard.

Gateway Community Radio, Basildon

Lord Petre said, “Gateway Community Radio are fitting winners of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services. Although they started in 2007 they have had to overcome a number of obstacles to become an established and valued community radio station for Basildon and Thurrock. Gateway is led by three directors, two of whom are the founders and the station is run entirely by around 200 volunteers. Working for Gateway provides a volunteer experience for the young and not so young to develop skills, gain confidence and make a useful contribution to the community. In addition, Gateway provides educational and training programmes, enabling many young people to gain qualifications, provides local road-shows and a good and balanced local information service to the wider community. Gateway provides an exceptional community service”.