Age Concern Epsom & Ewell receives The King’s Award for Voluntary Service
Age Concern Epsom & Ewell has been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and equivalent to an MBE. This prestigious recognition celebrates the contribution of the charity’s volunteers and the difference they make to the lives of older people and the wider community in Epsom & Ewell.
As an independent local charity, Age Concern Epsom & Ewell supports older people through information and advice, Home Visiting, medical transport and befriending, alongside social events such as Sunday Teas and the Men’s Club. More than 180 volunteers give their time and skills to help make this work possible.
Dorah May Hancock, Chief Officer of Age Concern Epsom & Ewell, said:
“Volunteers are at the heart of Age Concern Epsom & Ewell, and this award is a wonderful recognition of all they give. They bring an extraordinary range of skills, experience and kindness, freely giving their time to make a difference to people around them. Their contribution reaches far beyond our charity, helping to make Epsom and Ewell a stronger, more caring community. We are immensely proud of our volunteers and grateful for the part each one plays in making our work possible.”
The award celebrates the many ways volunteers give their time and skills across the charity’s work. Their commitment takes many forms, from helping older people attend medical appointments to offering friendship and creating opportunities for people to get together.
Alan, a former teacher and Mayor of Epsom and Ewell, has completed more than 3,000 drives as a volunteer medical transport driver for Age Concern Epsom & Ewell. Alongside helping older people get to their medical appointments, he enjoys the conversations and stories shared along the way. As Alan explains:
“After each drive I feel like I have made their life a little bit better just by listening to them.”
Through befriending, Manjit offers friendship and companionship to an older person who may feel isolated.
“The time I spend with them feels so rewarding. We share stories, laugh together, and it’s like we’re all learning something from each other.”
The charity’s monthly Sunday Teas are another way volunteers bring people together. The team puts on afternoons filled with laughter, conversation and entertainment, giving older people the chance to meet others and enjoy a change of scene. For some, it may be one of the few times they get out of the house and have the chance to socialise with others.
One Sunday Teas volunteer said:
“We enjoy putting it all together, serving tea and cake and making sure everyone has a good time. It’s lovely to see people enjoying the entertainment and having a really good afternoon.”
His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey, Mrs Neelam Devesher MBE, welcomed the recognition:
“I was delighted to hear that Age Concern Epsom & Ewell has been awarded with a Kings Award for Voluntary Service. This is the highest honour a voluntary group can receive in the UK. This prestigious award recognises the hard work and dedication of volunteers in making a real difference to the communities that they serve and support.”
County Councillor Eber Kington, who nominated Age Concern Epsom & Ewell for the award, said:
“On a daily basis, Age Concern Epsom and Ewell makes a significant difference to so many lives, and that is due to the huge number of volunteers who support the core team. Their dedication, skills, knowledge and evident enjoyment of their work, is acknowledged by all those who use the charity’s extensive services.
I nominated Age Concern Epsom and Ewell for the King’s Award for Voluntary Service because that dedication and voluntary service deserves to be recognised publicly, and I am delighted that the KAVS awards panel have taken the decision to give Age Concern Epsom and Ewell, and its volunteers, this prestigious Award.”
Age Concern Epsom & Ewell is one of five voluntary groups in Surrey to receive the award in 2026. Alongside other recipients across the UK, we are proud to be recognised for the difference our volunteers make to our community.
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups to benefit their communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee and, following his accession, His Majesty The King emphasised his desire to continue the Award.
Recipients are announced annually on 14 November, The King’s Birthday.
Representatives of Age Concern Epsom & Ewell will receive the award crystal and certificate from the Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey at a presentation in early 2027. Two representatives will also be invited to a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in May 2027, alongside other recipients.
Visit the official King’s Award for Voluntary Service website for further information about the award and the 2026 recipients: https://kavs.dcms.gov.uk/
