Restoration society gets Queen's Award

THE Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust has been awarded The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, the highest
award that can be given to a local volunteer group in the UK to recognise outstanding work done in its communities.

The award was created in 2002 to celebrate the anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation.  It is the MBE for voluntary groups.
In making the announcement a spokesperson from The Queen's Award for Voluntary Groups team explained:

Very much admired

“The work your group does for the community was very much admired by the independent Assessment Committee, chaired by Sir Martyn Lewis CBE and I am delighted to inform you that your group has been selected as a recipient for The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS) 2017”

“The award of The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service 2016 represents a tremendous achievement for your organisation. We hope that everyone involved, and particularly your volunteers, feel immensely proud of the recognition that this Award represents.”

Fantastic surprise

In response, Bernie Jones, chairman of SNCT, stated:

“This award was a fantastic surprise and we are delighted to have been nominated.  It is testimony to the hard work and dedication of all our volunteers who give so much to help the Trust in its restoration work on these wonderful canals, whether contributing to our social media, helping out at our stalls at local events, baking cakes and other fundraising, helping with administration and, of course, actually digging at our workparties”

The group now looks forward to an official presentation of the award by the Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire at a ceremony in the Autumn.