Staffordshire and Cheshire groups on King's Award list

The Academy for Theatre Arts in Newcastle-under-Lyme is among the organisations recognised with a King's Award for Voluntary Service this year.

Nine organisations across Staffordshire and Cheshire have been recognised with an award from the King.

The King's Award for Voluntary Service is equivalent to an MBE and is the highest award for UK voluntary groups.

A total of 262 organisations have been recognised this year, the first time it has been known as the King's Award.

The scheme, previously known as The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, was launched to mark Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee in 2002.

The list of winners in Staffordshire and Cheshire includes a foodbank in Winsford, a youth charity in Stoke-on-Trent and a defibrillator charity in Stone.

A homeless charity in Burton has also won an award, along with a performing arts academy in Newcastle-under-Lyme and a charity supporting families in Tamworth.

'Inestimable value'

Sir Martyn Lewis CBE, the awards' chair, said: "The awardees work selflessly as groups of volunteers to address every conceivable kind of local issue across all our communities.

"We owe them huge congratulations, but also much more than that for the inestimable value they bring to our society."

The full list of recipients across Staffordshire and Cheshire this year:

• Friends of the Allied Special Forces Memorial Grove, which looks after a place for remembrance and quiet contemplation at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas

• Burton HOPE, which supports homeless people and provides practical help to those in crisis in Burton

• RUFF & RUBY Urban Youth Charity, which works to empower young people in Stoke-on-Trent

• Just Family CIC, which supports families and promotes emotional health and wellbeing in Stoke-on-Trent

• The Marsh Recreation Ground and Community Centre Trust, which provides space for leisure and sport in Kinver

• The Academy for Theatre Arts, which provides dance, drama, singing and musical theatre classes in Newcastle-under-Lyme

• Home-Start Tamworth, which provides emotional and practical support to families in Tamworth

• AEDdonate, which provides defibrillator equipment from its base in Stone

• Mid Cheshire Foodbank, which provides emergency food and support to local people in Winsford and Northwich