The King’s Award for Voluntary Service 2023

Press Release

Trossachs Search and Rescue receives The King’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Trossachs Search and Rescue, a group of volunteers based in Callander, have just been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service. This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.

“We are delighted to receive this award on behalf of all our volunteers who have worked with our communities over the past 25 years.

This award is a fitting tribute to our founding member Stuart Ballantyne whom we sadly lost to Covid-19 in 2020. The honour of receiving this award will further motivate the team to ensure that his legacy continues and develops into the future.”

Trossachs Search and Rescue is one of 262 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. Their work, along with others from across the UK, reminds us of all the ways fantastic volunteers are contributing to their local communities and working to make life better for those around them.

The King’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups to benefit their communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee and, following his accession, His Majesty The King emphasised his desire to continue the Award.

Recipients are announced annually on 14th November, The King’s birthday.

Award winners this year are wonderfully diverse and include volunteer groups from across the UK, such as a social support network for disabled adults in Banffshire; a charity using a refurbished pool as a community hub in south Wales; volunteer doctors providing pre-hospital care across rural Cumbria and a village renewal organisation promoting sustainability, equality and social inclusion in County Antrim.

Representatives of Trossachs Search and Rescue will receive the award crystal and certificate from the Lord-Lieutenant of Stirling and Falkirk, Alan Simpson later this summer.

In addition, two volunteers from Trossachs Search and Rescue will attend a garden party at Holyrood Palace in July 2024, along with the other recipients of this year’s award.