The Grafton Centre in Hyde, Greater Manchester recognised with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service for 2018.

It has today been announced that the charity The Grafton Centre has been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.

The Grafton Centre based in Hyde, Greater Manchester is served by almost 30 regular volunteers and many more over it’s time serving the community, formerly known as Pensioners House. The Grafton Centre’s primary purpose has always been to defeat isolation and loneliness, and this MBE for Volunteer Groups is a showcase we certainly do. Each year the volunteers clock up over 10,000 hours of service cumulatively, servicing the centre users, defeating isolation as they go and the wider community of Hyde and Tameside. This prestigious award is recognition for those volunteers who work so hard all year round.

Next week our centre and service manager Gaynor Hannon and one of our longest serving volunteers Joyce, will attended a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace.

Chair of Trustees, Cllr Philip Fitzpatrick Said:

“Receiving The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service 2018 represents a tremendous achievement for all of The Grafton Centre volunteers, past and present, who have dedicated countless hours to work within the centre for its’ users and promoting the centre. We hope that everyone involved, and especially all our volunteers, feel immensely proud of the recognition that this Award represents.”

“Over the past few years the trust has been on an amazing journey, our volunteers and users have been at the heart of this. I want to say thank you to every volunteer since the centre opened it’s door many years ago, this award is for everyone who has helped make the centre what it is today. The trustees and I would also like to pay special tribute to the late Cllr Kieran Quinn, former leader of Tameside Council, the centre is where it is today flourishing and growing in no small part thanks to his support over the last decade.”

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK to recognise outstanding work in their communities. The awards were created in 2002 to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and winners are announced each year on 2 June – the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation.

Announcement in London Gazette - 2 June 2018 - https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/62303/supplement/J4

Logos for use - https://qavs.direct.gov.uk/content_only/logo_guidelines

Grafton Centre Website - https://GraftonCentreHyde.com

Grafton Centre Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/graftoncentrehyde