A GROUP of dedicated volunteers in Wotton have been awarded a prestigious award by the King.
Wotton Community Sports Foundation has been awarded the The King’s Award for Voluntary Service as part of the King’s birthday celebrations.
The award is the highest honour a voluntary group can receive in the UK, and is considered equivalent to an MBE.
The group runs Wotton Community PARC, a 38-acre sport and recreational site off New Road near Katharine Lady Berkeley's.
It is hoped eventually a new “game-changing” clubhouse will eventually be built on the site known as New Barn, with a cafe area, office, toilets, meeting rooms and a changing block.
The site is also home to a vibrant array of sports clubs, including Wotton Rovers Youth Football Club, Wotton Hockey Club and Dursley Ladies Hockey Club and Wotton Rugby Club.
In addition, the field hosts the popular Wotton parkrun and also features an orchard, a sensory garden and a community skatepark.
Simon Weston, Chair of WSCF, said: “On behalf of all our trustees and stakeholders, we are thrilled to be recognized with this award.
“It represents thousands of hours of volunteer effort and the transformation of the site into the community asset that it now is.
“We are now focused on developing our plans for a social and sports hub building on the site.”
Representatives from the group will officially receive the award and certificate from Edward Gillespie, Lord-Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, later this summer.
Two volunteers are due to attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May and June next year, alongside other recipients of this year’s Award.
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise the work by volunteer groups to benefit their communities.
It was created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee.
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