Charities receive King's voluntary service award

The award is the highest a local voluntary group can receive and is equivalent to an MBE

Nine charities across East and West Sussex have been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service for 2024.

The Storrington Area Help Scheme, Time to Talk Befriending and Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve were among those to be acknowledged.

The award is the highest a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.

Alan Craig MBE, a trustee and administrator for the Storrington scheme, said he was "so pleased" the efforts of its "outstanding team" had been recognised.

'Compassion and commitment'

The scheme, which is run by more than 40 volunteers, helps local residents to attend healthcare appointments in West Sussex.

Transport is provided by volunteers using their own vehicles.

The Time to Talk Befriending charity supports older people across Brighton and Hove, Adur and Worthing, most of whom are living with long-term health problems.

Emily Kenward, its chief executive, said: "It is a privilege to provide opportunities for meaningful connections across the generations."

Helen Mason, who benefits from the service, said: "The words I would use to describe my experience of Time to Talk Befriending are ‘cherish, comfort, compassion and commitment' - the charity has shown me all of these."

More than 300 species of plants and animals are rare or endangered at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve

Rye Harbour Nature Reserve is home to more than 4,300 different species of plants and animals, including more than 300 that are rare or endangered.

Chris Corrigan, chief executive of Sussex Wildlife Trust, which runs the site, said: “We are thrilled we have been selected for this well-earned and prestigious award.

"They are an exceptional group of volunteers who have given an extraordinary amount of time over many years to the management of the reserve”.

The other recipients in West Sussex were the Chichester Community Development Trust and Tamil Learning Centre in Crawley.

In East Sussex, Havens Community Cars, Mankind Support Group, Rotherfield St Martin and The Sanctuary in Eastbourne were also awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service for 2024.

The award was created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee and previously known as The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS).