South Essex Community HUB receives the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service

SECH, a group of volunteers based in Southend on Sea, have been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.

SECH aims to build an ever improving community in Southend, based on shared values & social cohesion through the provision of information, advice, projects, events and services that inform, challenge, educate, train & entertain. The service is delivered in HUBs located throughout the Southend area. The HUBs primary purpose is to provide help when and where it is needed. The HUBs are person-centred places bringing together skilled people from all sorts of organizations, able to advise and help pick apart those things which are causing stress and worry.

SECH is one of 230 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. The number of nominations remains high year on year, showing that the voluntary sector is thriving and full of innovative ideas to make life better for those that need them.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by

volunteer groups that benefit their local communities. It was created in 2002 to

celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Recipients are announced each year on 2nd

June, the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation. Award winners this year are

wonderfully diverse. They include volunteer groups from across the UK, including a community shop in Cornwall, an environmental group in Swansea, a group working with refugees and vulnerable people in Stirling and a thriving community arts centre in County Down.

Representatives of South Essex Community HUB will receive the award from Mrs Jennifer Tolhurst, Lord Lieutenant of Essex, later this summer. Furthermore two volunteers from SECH will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2021, along with other recipients of this year’s Award. Mrs Jennifer Tolhurst

said: “We are delighted that your group’s work to provide a wide-ranging services in Southend has been recognised, pay tribute to hard work and commitment of your volunteers and dedicated staff.”