Stripey Stork recognised with The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service

We are proud to announce that Stripey Stork have been recognised with the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service recognises outstanding work in the local community and excellence in voluntary activities. It was introduced in 2002 in honour of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. We couldn’t be prouder that we are one of seven carefully selected charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups in Surrey to receive this annual award, which is the equivalent of an MBE for voluntary groups.

Nicola Dawes, Stripey Stork Founder and General Manager, said: “Receiving such a prestigious award which recognises our amazing team of volunteers is a fitting acknowledgement for all their hard work. The demand for our service has grown more than we could have imagined and, whilst it saddens us that there is such a need, the power behind being able to answer this call has been our dedicated team of volunteers.”

We were nominated for the award by the Surrey County Councillor for Earlswood and South Reigate, Mrs Barbara Thomson, and the nomination was supported by two of our referral partners.

Trudy Mills, Director for Children & Family Health Surrey, said: “We see first-hand the difference it makes to families in need. There is no equivalent service. Without Stripey Stork many of the families our team supports would struggle to provide the basic necessities for their babies and young children.”

Val Frost, Interim Chief Executive of First Community Health & Care, said: “The team of staff and volunteers at Stripey Stork has created a service to be very proud of. The range and quality of items available is impressive and they are always presented with such care. Stripey Stork always provides a warm welcome to our team and will go the extra mile to ensure the items we collect are just what is needed.”

The award included an invitation for two representatives to attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, in the presence of members of the Royal Family. Nicola Dawes, our General Manager and Jenny Benfield, the Stripey Stork Treasurer, attended on 15th May where they were in the company of other recipients of this year’s award.

The award will officially be presented to Stripey Stork volunteers later in the year by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey, Mr Michael More-Molyneux. It consists of a certificate with citation signed by HM The Queen, together with an engraved commemorative domed crystal.

The Stripey Stork trustee team would like to take this opportunity to thank every volunteer who has shared their time and talents as part of ‘Team Stork’ since we started in August 2013. This is your award, and we look forward to celebrating this very special achievement with you all.

Stripey Stork are always looking for enthusiastic and hardworking volunteers to join our team. Individuals, community groups and corporate teams are all ensured a friendly welcome and a rewarding experience.
If you are interested, please email Charlotte Dance [volunteer@stripeystork.org.uk]