Vintage Worx Community Development Trust receives the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service

Vintage Worx volunteers

Vintage Worx, a group of volunteers based in Falinge Park, have been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK. 

Starting as a small community group in 2006, Vintage Worx has grown into a Community Development Trust delivering a wide range of social activities, training sessions and support services.

Still run entirely by volunteers, the group is currently raising funds to restore the park buildings to protect the heritage value of the park, increase the scope of their work and widen the social benefits of a public green space.

Representatives of Vintage Worx will receive the award from Sir Warren J Smith, Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester later this summer. Furthermore, two volunteers from Vintage Worx will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2021, along with other recipients of this year’s Award.

Vintage Worx Community Director Samantha Powers said: “It is an honour and a privilege to receive the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, everyone at Vintage is both immensely proud and humbled to have their commitment and work recognised at such a high level. This will be treasured by the whole team."

Vintage Worx is one of 230 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. The number of nominations remains high year on year, showing that the voluntary sector is thriving and full of innovative ideas to make life better for those around them. 

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups to benefit their local communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Recipients are announced each year on 2 June, the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation.