Charity volunteers receive Royal honours at Dunstable ceremony

Volunteers from Autism Bedfordshire were presented with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service at an event held at Dunstable’s Grove Theatre.

Almost 100 of the charity’s volunteers, along with Deputy Lieutenants, the High Sheriff of Bedfordshire, other Bedfordshire dignitaries and charity funders enjoyed a cream tea before the presentation made by Her Majesty the Queen’s representative the Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Helen Nellis, at the event on October 11.

Annually, more than 200 volunteers support and steer Autism Bedfordshire’s work. The volunteers were presented with a Queen’s Award certificate and lapel badge and joined the rest of the attendees to enjoy a talk by guest speaker Jamie + Lion.

Mrs Nellis said: “This is the highest award given to volunteer groups in the UK. It is an award for the volunteers themselves, to acknowledge the real difference their voluntary work makes. To win this award is a tremendous achievement and shows the highest recognition of all the volunteers and staff of Autism Bedfordshire.”

Lainey Montgomery, Chair of Autism Bedfordshire’s Board of Trustees, who accepted the award on behalf of the charity’s volunteers said: “I am so incredibly proud to receive this award on behalf of all our wonderful volunteers and to be a part of this charity."