The Kings Award for Voluntary Service is an honour which recognises “outstanding work by local volunteer groups to support their local communities”.  The honour is the equivalent of an MBE and is awarded for life. This year there were 16 groups in Mersyside awarded, of which only 3 groups are Sefton based: Birkdale Community Hub and Library, 4th Crosby & District (St William of York) Scout Group and Ainsdale Civic Society.

The key criteria for the award is that the group must be run entirely by volunteers and provide a specific and local benefit to their community. Nominees are invited to complete assessments and shortlisted to be put forward for approval by The King.

Birkdale Community Hub and Library is based at The Station Master’s House next to Birkdale train station. They opened in 2021 after renovating the building, and now provide not just a community library service, but a groups to support the local community. These include Warm Spaces, Rhyme Time, Computer Club and more. Their chairman, Phil, commented on what the award means to them:

We are so proud and delighted…I want to thank all of our volunteers and supporters for creating the thriving organisation that our charity has become.

To nominate a group for the 2025 awards head to the KAVS website.