SECH, a group of volunteers based in Southend on Sea, have been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (2020), 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. 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 organisations, 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 in 2020. 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.
Mrs Jennifer Tolhurst, Lord Lieutenant of Essex 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.”
In October 2020, Mr Vincent Thompson, Her Majesty’s Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Essex presented South Essex Community Hub (SECH) with Queens Award for Voluntary Services. All though this was only a small event, it was sure a memorable one!
We plan to host another event in the future to celebrate in style with all those who made winning this award possible!
Volunteers and staff of SECH have worked tirelessly over the last few months to support the local community and the recognition of everyone’s hard work really means the world. We safely reopened our doors to the community as soon as possible. This has enabled us to support many people with various issues during their time of need.
“SECH has now been in existence for five years and I am immensely proud of how far we have come; I look forward to many more years of great community work” Malcolm Clark – South Essex Community Hub Chairman
