Congratulations to the Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve who are set to receive a prestigious award from the King. On Thursday November 14 Sussex Wildlife Trust revealed the volunteers are to be honoured with the King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
Created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s golden jubilee, and previously known as the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS), the award celebrates the work of voluntary groups from across the UK. Equivalent to an MBE, KAVS is the highest award given to local voluntary groups in the UK and is awarded in perpetuity.
The citation for the award says the volunteers are worthy recipients for “supporting and developing Rye Harbour Nature Reserve and its wildlife for the benefit of local and wider interests.”
The nature reserve is managed by Sussex Wildlife Trust, who together with the
Friends have enlarged and improved the wildlife habitats. The Friends have also
helped to improve visitor access and facilities, including a generous contribution of
£1.5 million towards the discovery centre that opened in 2021.
Other significant contributions include supporting the purchase of Castle Water and
transforming it from a gravel-dredging site to a wildlife-rich reedbed, funding five
wheelchair-accessible bird hides at the reserve, and delivering a variety of talks,
walks and events.
The success of the nature reserve is evident in the rise in visitor numbers, which
have increased since the start of the millennium from 100,000 to 400,000 each year.
The chairman of the Friends, Dr Barry Yates, said: “The few pioneers who
established the Friends in 1973 would be pleased with and amazed by its current
2,000 supporters and what they have achieved. They have made a tremendous
contribution to this very special place and everyone who has supported the Friends
should feel very proud!”
Chris Corrigan, CEO of Sussex Wildlife Trust, added: “We are thrilled that the
Friends have been selected for this well-earned and prestigious award. This is an
exceptional group of volunteers which has given an extraordinary amount of time
and financial support over many years to the management of the reserve.”
A local award ceremony will take place next year and will see the lord-lieutenant for East Sussex, the King’s representative, presenting the Friends with a certificate and a
commemorative crystal.
You can find out more on the Friends here and for more information about Sussex Wildlife Trust click here.
To be eligible for the KAVS, a group must be based in the UK, Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man They must have been in operation for at least three years. The group must be led by volunteers and not by paid staff. They also need to provide a specific and direct benefit to the local community.
Image Credits: Kt bruce , Kt Bruce , Jeff Penfold .