Volunteers at Mary Stevens Hospice have been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.

The Hospice is a charity offering specialist palliative and end-of-life care for adults living with terminal illnesses, as well as dedicated support for their families and carers. Based in Stourbridge, the hospice serves people in the Black Country, Dudley Metropolitan Borough and surrounding areas.

In order to do this, the charity relies on the support of more than 500 volunteers both at the Hagley Road care site and out in the community through the Hospice's events and high street shops. Stevan Jackson, Group Chief Executive Officer at the Mary Stevens Hospice Group, said:

"All at the hospice are absolutely delighted that the impressive abilities and tremendous work of our band of marvellously dedicated volunteers has been recognised with this, the most prestigious of awards.  

"It is a fantastic tribute to their hard work and commitment, without which we would struggle to deliver services.”  

Representatives from the Hospice's volunteers attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace on 15th May, along with other recipients of this year’s Queen’s Award.

Mary Stevens Hospice is one of 281 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. The number of nominations and awards has increased year on year since the awards were introduced in 2002, showing that the voluntary sector is thriving and full of innovative ideas to improve the lives of those whom they are here to serve.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups to benefit their local communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Winners are announced each year on 2nd June – the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation.

Other award winners this year include volunteers helping people overcome mental health problems through sport, volunteers using caravans as mobile café and information centres in geographically remote locations and a group mentoring children who have a parent in prison.

Representatives of Mary Stevens Hospice will receive the Queens Award from Mr John Crabtree OBE, Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands, at an Awards Ceremony at Birmingham Hippodrome on Sunday 20th October 2019.