Angus organisations have reason for double delight after maintaining the county’s proud reputation in a Royal scheme honouring the nation’s volunteers.
The list of 2017 winners of The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service — the sector’s equivalent of the MBE — features both Kirriemuir’s DD8 Music and Forfar-based palliative care charity Lippen Care after they secured a 100% success rate for this year’s Angus nominees.
Angus Lord Lieutenant Mrs Georgiana Osborne, who hosted both groups at a reception ahead of the awards announcement to wish them well, said the fact that both groups has received the accolade was a real triumph for the district and another solid indication of the breadth of volunteering going on locally.
“There were 137 awards across the UK this year, 17 of them in Scotland, so for Angus to have two is a pretty fantastic achievement,” she commented.
“Since the first awards were made in 2003, we have had 25 groups nominated and 13 have now won the award, which I think is a remarkable record.
“It just shows what a wonderfully high level of volunteering we have here in Angus and what an amazing job everyone does.
“I hope we can continue this success and I would encourage nominations for 2018, which run until September,” said Mrs Osborne.
Katie Reid, the chairperson of DD8 which runs a host of youth music and media initiatives as well as organising events including Kirrie’s internationally-renowned annual BonFest said: “The team at DD8 Music were excited to even be considered for the QAVS.
“To have actually won it is amazing, and is incredible recognition of all the work our volunteers have put into the project over the years.
“We have a dedicated team, who work year round to offer a variety of youth work for free to the young people of the local area, along with putting a huge amount of work into organising our annual festivals.
“This award is an acknowledgement of all that hard work, and I’d like to thank each and every one of them giving DD8 Music their time, skills and experience,” she added.
Lippen Care vice-chair Jean McEwan commented: “It is a real honour to receive the award.
“Quite a few voluntary organisation in Angus have already received it, so it is not only for Forfar and Lippen Care, but for the whole of Angus.
“We have a group of around 60/70 volunteers and the executive committee are indebted to them for all of the work they do.”
For more than a decade, Lippen Care has provided palliative care to patients in the Strathmore Hospice at Whitehills Hospital, as well as providing year-round befriender home support.
A formal presentation of the awards will take place later this year.
