Warrington Youth Club given The Queens Award for Voluntary Service

OnSide Warrington Youth Club has been awarded the Queens Award for Voluntary Service.

Warrington Youth Club received notification in late October that they had been shortlisted and there would be an assessment visit by two of the Deputy Lord Lieutenants of Cheshire in December.

This was both an exciting and a challenging process, as they wanted to ensure that we demonstrated and highlighted the massive contribution that volunteers made to the life of OnSide Warrington Youth Club. The passion and enthusiasm that the volunteers spoke with during the assessment for the Award was heart-warming.

Warrington Youth Club (WYC) currently have over 150 active volunteers ranging from 14 – 74 years of age from across Warrington. They undertake a wide spectrum of roles in the organisation including Youth Work, Mentors, Buddies, Board Members, Administrators, and Fundraisers; in fact there are very few functions of the organisation in which volunteers are not involved.

In May 2017 WYC received notice that they had been successful and the organisation was to receive the Queens Award for Voluntary Service – the highest accolade a voluntary sector organisation can receive and is the equivalent of an MBE for charities.

On 12^th October 2017, The Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire, Mr David Briggs presented the Award to OnSide Warrington Youth Club at a very special ceremony at the Peace Centre in Warrington, the home of the organisation. The Award was received by two long serving volunteers who have been members and volunteers of the club for over 17 years. Matt Taylor (32) accepted the Award with complete humility and thanked the Lord-Lieutenant on behalf of all of the 150 volunteers involved in the organisation. Juan Pujol (36) explained how volunteering had a positive impact on his life and given him more confidence.

Following the formal presentation of the Queens Award for Voluntary Service, each of the volunteers was presented with a Queens Award pin badge. The first volunteer to receive a pin badge was the Lord Lieutenant, who is also the President of OnSide Warrington Youth Club, presented by Vic Croxton one of the Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire.

The second part of the evening saw 14 volunteers of the organisation receiving replica Queens Awards for their commitment to children and young people. David Briggs received the final accolade, the Life time Commitment Award for over 37 years of service to the charity as a member of the board.

Congratulations OnSide Warrington Youth Club!