A voluntary group from Harvington Hall, famous for its numerous historic priest holes, has been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK. In advance of the Lord Lieutenant presenting the award on 12th July 2016, local MP Mark Garnier has praised the vital work the local volunteers do.
The volunteers carry out a wide range of tasks, from guiding groups around the Hall, to running the reception, leading workshops for schools, historical re-enactment, gardening and conservation tasks. They collectively contribute an average of 8,500 – 9,000 volunteer hours per year – based on the National Living Wage, which amounts to a donation of £61,200 - £64,800.
Mark Garnier MP, “We often do not fully appreciate the joy and sacrifice of volunteering. Nor do we recognise that often the staff we meet at local attractions are not being paid for their time. Harvington Hall is a fantastic example of how the passion of volunteers really benefits our community. They help keep the troubled history of Catholic families during the Reformation alive. I am very pleased that both the work of Harvington Hall and the volunteers has been recognised at such a high level. Our civic societies and many of our charities are significantly supported by volunteers and I hope this award allows us to reflect on volunteers we know, especially if they are any of the award winning volunteers at Harvington Hall.”