Kings Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS)

Asfordby Amateurs Ladies, Girls and Inclusive Football Club, based in Melton. The club provides a welcoming and safe environment for all abilities and ages to develop their skills through football, setting their community up for future success. They provide further opportunities for development beyond joining the team such as coaching, being a referee, and taking part in leadership courses. They also support the Melton Schools League, providing opportunities for hundreds of young people to participate in football.

Bright Hope in North West Leicestershire, based in Swannington. The charity is committed to serving the community by providing a range of free and accessible support including: adult social care, counselling, wellbeing support services, and a community café in a purpose-built day centre. Bright Hope provide opportunities for beneficiaries to create friendships and take part in social and creative activities.

Heather Scarecrow Festival is a week-long annual scarecrow festival. The festival is open to residents, businesses, and schools in Heather to raise funds to support local groups that serve the village. The festival provides creative activities, social cohesion, and financial support to the local community.

Shama Women’s Centre,an organisation based in Leicester, have been recognised for the work they do in supporting women to gain independence through education, training, counselling, and peer support. They provide opportunities for women from all backgrounds to create friendships, develop new skills, and find employment.

Young Leicestershire – for transforming the lives of society’s disadvantaged young people.

Quorn Library Volunteers – for creating a community hub by resurrecting an old library, offering much more than just books.

Greater Wigston Historical Society and Heritage Centre – for establishing and running an outstanding research and advice centre, preserving Wigston’s community heritage.

Melton Community First Responders – for providing vital and lifesaving emergency aid and support to the local community and East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS).

SoundCafe Leicester – for supporting those who are homeless, isolated and vulnerably housed in Leicester city.

Harborough Morsbags – for making and distributing fabric bags to reduce the use of plastics.

103TheEye is a community run radio station which broadcasts 24/7 for Melton Mowbray. It is entirely volunteer- run and is a pioneer in the community radio space. The station also runs training programmes for young people to learn about radio broadcasting.

Heartwize, based in Leicester, has been recognised for its efforts in increasing public awareness of the problem of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. It also provides free CPR training programmes to businesses, schools and in the community, to ensure people have knowledge of CPR and use of AED (Automated External Defibrillators).

Two groups from the Bosworth area were successful in this year’s awards. Bosworth In Bloom provides stunning floral displays each year, while maintaining a respect for the local environment. Market Bosworth Community Library is a community hub, library services, resources & activities to benefit the surrounding rural community.

Swannington Heritage Trust has been rewarded for its efforts in transforming and preserving five industrial sites, including the Hough Mill, a restored 1790s corn mill. The Trust is also recognised for its work in researching and archiving records and artifacts for future generations to learn about Leicester’s history.

Shree Jalaram Prarthana Mandal -Jalaram Mandir and Jalaram Community Centre Leicester have also received recognition for their efforts in supporting the local community through an incredible breadth of initiatives, from helping the homeless, raising money for other charities, and distributing food to those in need.

Leicester Deaf Centre – Maintaining an outstanding and vital volunteer-led service to the Deaf community in Leicester/shire.

University Hospitals of Leicester Volunteer Services – Supporting patients, families and visitors in three acute hospitals.

• 1279 (Melton Mowbray) Squadron, Royal Air Force Air Cadets (Melton) Providing life-skills training and challenging activities for young people
• Eyres Monsell Club for Young People (City) – Providing an all-encompassing hub for the local community
• Leicestershire and Rutland Blood Bikes (City) – Supporting the NHS by transporting urgent Out-of-Hours medical samples and patient notes.
• Menphys Charity (Oadby and Wigston) – Supporting and enriching the lives of children and young people with disabilities.

• Hinckley Concordia Association (Hinckley and Bosworth) – Provision of a thriving community theatre for performing arts and a local community activity hub.
• Leicestershire Search and Rescue (LeicSAR) (Charnwood) – Providing search and rescue in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to locate missing people.
• Mountsorrel and Rothley Heritage Centre (Charnwood) – Creating the Heritage Centre site for the enjoyment, education and benefit of the entire community.

Syston and District Volunteer Centre (Charnwood) – Providing transport, help and support wherever possible making sure that we remain sustainable and true to our core aims.

No Awards

• Loughborough Students’ Action (Charnwood) – Helping all ages; improving social support, education and the environment.
• Saffron Acres (City) – Bringing people together to build skills, friendships and a stronger community through a community food growing project.

Open Hands Trust (City) – Assisting homeless and vulnerable people in their basic needs and help re-engage them in the wider community.

TwentyTwenty (Charnwood) Supporting disadvantaged and disengaged young people to positive independence, confidence and sustained jobs.

No Awards

No Awards

• Volunteer Skippers and Crew Peter Le Marchant (Charnwood) – Crewing our specially-designed canal boats for disabled and seriously ill people regardless of age or ability.
• Inter-Care Medical Aid for Africa (Charnwood) –  Recycling donated surplus UK medicines for people in African countries.
• Market Harborough in Bloom volunteers (Harborough) – Enhancing the visual impact of the town through floral displays and environmental initiatives.
• The Pera Foundation (Melton) – (dissolved on 8th November 2016) Transforming young lives.

Friends of Thringstone (NW Leics) – Improving the local environment to preserve and promote its history for the benefit of residents and visitors. http://www.friends-of-thringstone.org.uk/

The Baldwin Trust (Charnwood) – Providing river and canal day trips for elderly and disabled people on specially equipped narrow boats.

Gwendoline Community House Volunteers (Hinckley and Bosworth) – Improving the quality of life for people living on this estate in Hinckley

CKI School of Martial Arts (City) – Teaching young people the sport of martial arts.

Muslim Burial Council of Leicestershire (City) Acts on behalf of the needs and requirements of the Muslim community locally, nationally and (MBCOL) at a European level regarding the procedures and practices relating to the interment of the deceased. –

• Amazon Young Women’s Project (Charnwood) – (This County Council youth project was in Loughborough – now appears closed) Youth workers motivate and encourage group members to develop creative initiatives to tackle the issues of crime and public safety.
• Braunstone Stars and Angels (City) – (no activity since 2011) Provides a community based activity for children from 4 years, to learn singing, voice training and performance.

No awards

No awards

• Coping with Cancer (City) – Providing information and practical and emotional support to people affected by
  cancer.
• The Muslim Khatri Association (City) – Providing social and recreational activities, advancing education and relieving poverty in Leicester.