An outstanding volunteer from Barnsley Youth Choir has been recognised by Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort as part of the official Coronation celebrations in conjunction with Royal Voluntary Service.
Karen Davis volunteers with Barnsley Youth Choir and has been recognised for her contribution and crowned a Coronation Champion. 5000 entries were received, with nominations made for individuals aged 14 up to 103.
Judges recognised that Karen has had a significant impact in her role, guiding and supporting the choir through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic. Many children and families were left isolated but her commitment to supporting vulnerable children has been remarkable, meticulously organising and overseeing all activities and communication, including large-scale international tours and key events. This is all done alongside a busy full-time job.
With the support of Her Majesty The Queen Consort, a passionate advocate of volunteering and President of Royal Voluntary Service, the CoronationChampions Awards were launched to recognise exceptional volunteers from across the country at this momentous point in history. Across the UK, 500Champions dazzled the judging panel with the impact of their work, their inspirational stories and unwavering commitment to volunteering.
Karen has been invited to attend one of the official Coronation celebrations, the Windsor Castle Coronation Concert. She will also receive a specially designed, official Coronation Champions pin and a certificate signed by Their Majesties.
Commenting on becoming a Coronation Champion, Karen Davis said: “I am thrilled and humbled to win this special award that reflects on the whole volunteer team that work so hard to provide opportunities for children in Barnsley. They are a joy to work alongside and it is a privilege to serve the community in such a positive and exciting organisation. I am incredibly grateful to have been deemed worthy of this special award”.
The Coronation Champions Awards invited people across the UK to nominate their local volunteering heroes who are going the extra mile. Nominations were made across eight award categories; supporting older people; supporting young people and children; crisis and welfare; community; sports, culture, and heritage; health and care; sustainability and the environment; and animal welfare.
Ann Wroe, President and Chair of Trustees at Barnsley Youth Choir said: “Her work is tireless and much of this goes unseen. She leads with passion, humility and compassion; always seeking to support and recognise others and their contribution, and encouraging and nurturing those she volunteers alongside. She also works hard to remove barriers to participation, raising money to provide bursaries for lower income families, and works so hard to provide a safe environment where children, their families and volunteers thrive. She is a catalyst for positive action and a shining example to others, inspiring them through her energy, dedication and selfless commitment to young people in Barnsley.”
Catherine Johnstone CBE, ChiefExecutive of Royal Voluntary Service said: “We were completely blown away by the response to the Community Champions Awards and the huge volume of amazing nominees put forward. Our judges had a tough job selecting just 500Champions from an array of thousands of inspirational individuals, who all deserve to be recognised and commended. “
“Each of our Coronation Champions displayed a commitment and contribution that far exceeds any expectation and we’re overjoyed to honour and thank them during this exciting point in history.”
Royal Voluntary Service is immensely grateful for the generous support of brand partners Simply health, for supporting the Health and Care category,Sky through its Sky Cares programme, for supporting the Community category and Petplan, for supporting the Animal Welfare category.
Those feeling inspired to try volunteering themselves are encouraged to take part in The Big Help Out on Monday 8th May. The Big Help Out is another official Coronation project, aiming to encourage newcomers to volunteering, bring communities together and create a lasting volunteering legacy from theCoronation weekend.
Royal Voluntary Service is one of Britain’s largest volunteering charities with volunteers supporting the NHS and thousands of vulnerable people in the community. The charity delivers the NHS Volunteer Responders programme for NHS England, enabled by the GoodSAM app, with volunteers responding to over2.5 million requests for help to support approximately 220,000 people, and completing over 363,000 shifts at vaccination sites. The charity also works in local communities running home libraries, companionship support, home from hospital services and patient transport. Its Virtual Village Hall provides online activities and classes to promote wellbeing and keep people active.
