Five NI groups receive Queen's Awards

Five groups from Northern Ireland were amongst 110 groups from the voluntary and community sectors in the UK to be awarded this year’s Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

The Award, which was announced by The Queen on April 30, 2002 as part of her Golden Jubilee celebrations, aims to recognise outstanding achievement by groups of two or more people who volunteer their own time to enhance and improve the quality of life and opportunity for individuals or other groups in the community.

The successful groups for this year’s awards were announced today.

The five from Northern Ireland are: Simon Community Outspoken Group, Belfast; Carnany Community Association, Ballymoney; The Share Holiday Village Volunteer Team, Enniskillen; Moree Community Association, Dungannon; and The Bann Recorder, Banbridge.

Congratulating those nominated, the Secretary of State, Paul Murphy expressed appreciation for the "selfless time and effort" given by the many hundreds of volunteers working in their communities throughout the province.

The Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award is given in recognition of outstanding achievement by groups of two or more people in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man who volunteer their own time to enhance and improve the quality of life and opportunity for individuals or other groups in the community.

(MB)