The King's Award for Voluntary Service
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS) celebrates the outstanding work volunteer groups do in their community.
It is the MBE for volunteer groups and it is awarded for life. It is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK.
The award was created in 2002 for HM Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee and renamed following the Accession of King Charles III.
By attaching His Majesty’s name to these awards, The King is continuing Queen Elizabeth’s legacy of recognising the significant contribution of volunteers.
The nomination process
Groups cannot nominate themselves, someone else must nominate them.
To nominate a group, you must:
- know about the group’s work
- supply two letters of support from people who know the group well
On your application you must describe:
- what the group does
- who benefits and how
- what makes the volunteers exceptional
How the winners are chosen
Volunteer groups must meet certain criteria before they can be considered for an award. There is a two-stage assessment process to decide which organisations go on to win. The first stage of this process includes Deputy Lieutenants visiting eligible organisations in the county.
After the winners are announced, the Lord-Lieutenant presents the award to the successful groups, on behalf of HM The King.
Advice on your nomination
We are happy to advise you on your nomination.
Contact us for advice.
What happens and when
Nominations for the 2024 awards are closed. The winners will be announced on HM The King’s birthday on 14 November 2024 on the KAVS website.
You can apply for the 2025 awards from 1 June 2024:
Key dates for the diary
- 1 June
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Nomination window opens
- 15 September
-
Nomination window closes
- December to March
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The Lieutenancy verifies the information and visits eligible groups
- March to June
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National assessment process and Royal approval of winners
- 14 November
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Awards officially announced on HM The King's birthday in The Gazette, on GOV.UK and on the KAVS website
- November onwards
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The Lord-Lieutenant presents the awards to successful groups
East Sussex winners
In 2023, there were six East Sussex winners of the King’s Award for Voluntary Service: