Shanklin Town Brass Band has been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK, for its work in the community to promote Brass Band Music amongst young musicians.
The QAVS is the equivalent to the band being awarded an MBE.
In addition to providing low cost music tuition to budding musicians at its Saturday morning Brass Academy the band, which itself became a charity in 2011, also supports many other Isle of Wight charities and organisations in their fund-raising efforts. The band’s current home is the Grade II listed Rylstone Chalet which is currently being restored to its former glory by a team of dedicated volunteers. The band is proud to promote both Shanklin and the Island whenever it competes in brass band contests on the Mainland.
Malcolm and Karen Lewis, together with their daughter Charlotte, attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace on 24th May where they met the Queen and other recipients of this year’s award.
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK to recognise outstanding work in their communities. The awards were created in 2002 to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and winners are announced each year on 2 June, the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation.
Shanklin Town Brass Band is one of 193 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. Recipients of the award range from a War Memorial Community Trust which provides social facilities for the benefit of the community in Clwyd, Wales, to a club enhancing the community by developing individuals through athletics in Ayrshire and Arran, Scotland. The number of awards given in 2016 is slightly higher than last year, showing that the voluntary sector is thriving and full of innovative ideas to tackle community challenges.
Shanklin Town Brass Band will receive their award from the Lord Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight later this summer.
For further information on the awards, see the QAVS website