Valley Brass, a volunteer-run 1st section brass band based in Haydock, St. Helens, Merseyside, has been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service for 2024. This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.
Valley Brass performs at regional and national competitions, local community events, and fosters musical growth across all ages, backgrounds and abilities, without financial constraint. The Main Band, Learners Group, and Training Band offer welcoming spaces for musicians to learn, grow, and perform together.
Valley Brass is one of 281 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 support their communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate Her Majesty The late Queen’s Golden Jubilee and, was continued following the accession of His Majesty The King. 2024 marks the second year of The King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
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 mental health and wellbeing support network for veterans and their families in Yorkshire; a group preserving a historic 12th century castle in south Wales; volunteers providing English lessons for refugees in Stirling and an organisation providing a opportunities to engage in the arts for people with learning disabilities in County Fermanagh.
Representatives of Valley Brass will receive the award crystal and certificate from Mark Blundell, Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside later this summer. In addition, two volunteers from Valley Brass will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May and June 2025, along with other recipients of this year’s Award.
We are thrilled that our group’s dedication to music and community has been recognised at this level. This award honours the passion and commitment of our volunteers who make Valley Brass a welcoming and inspiring place for musicians of all ages.
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service Information
1. Lord-Lieutenants represent the monarch in each of the UK’s ceremonial counties.
2. This year, there are 281 recipients of The King’s Award for Voluntary Service from across the UK and Channel Islands.
3. More information on the recipients and the Award can be found at https://kavs.dcms.gov.uk/.
4. Full details on how to nominate are available at https://kavs.dcms.gov.uk/.
5. Nominations for the 2025 award opened on 1st September 2024.
Help us celebrate Valley Brass’ incredible achievement of receiving The King’s Award for Voluntary Service!
Share the news with friends and followers to raise awareness of our work and inspire future nominations. Join us on social media (links at the top of this page) with the hashtag #KAVS2024, and tag @KingsAwardVS so they can see and share your posts. Whether it’s photos of the band, our performances, or activities, your support helps spread our story far and wide. You can also follow The King’s Award for Voluntary Service on Twitter and Facebook.