Frodsham Community Association (FCA), a group of volunteers based in Frodsham, has been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.
Frodsham Community Association provides safe, accessible and friendly facilities for community groups to meet and interact, to the benefit of participants’ mental and physical wellbeing and social cohesion. A volunteer committee of dedicated (in all senses), local people, who are also involved in the groups, ensure efficient and cooperative operation to sustain this very large community centre providing excellent facilities for groups, clubs, stage productions, meeting rooms, family events and occasions.
The Centre opened in 1969 is celebrating 50 years with a week end of activities in October and with this award has even more to celebrate.
Representatives from FCA attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May, along with other recipients of this year’s Award.
FCA is one of 281 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. The number of nominations and awards has increased year on year since the awards were introduced in 2002, 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. Winners are announced each year on 2 June – the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation. Award winners this year are wonderfully diverse. They include volunteers helping people overcome mental health problems through sport, volunteers using caravans as mobile cafe/information centres in geographically remote locations and another group mentoring children who have a parent in prison.
Representatives of FCA will receive the award from Mr David Briggs MBE, Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire, on Saturday 5th October during the Golden Celebrations for the Centre.
The Chair of Frodsham Community Association Mr Graham Reeves says: “We are delighted that the work of FCA has been recognised and it is a tribute to all the volunteers involved in the planning, building and continued success of The Centre over the past 50 years. It is the dedication and hard work of these volunteers that provides such excellent facilities for the town and a ‘home’ for so many diverse activities”.