A ‘COMPASSIONATE’ charity which helps homeless and hungry people in Rugby has been honoured by The King.
Hope4 has been presented with The King’s Award for Voluntary Service – the highest award a local voluntary organisation can achieve.
Regarded as the MBE of the voluntary sector, the coveted award recognises the work carried out by the charity’s volunteers at the Hope Centre and Rugby Foodbank.
At a ceremony at the Benn Hall last week, Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire Tim Cox presented the charity with an etched domed glass crystal and a certificate signed by the King.
He said: “The volunteers truly deserve this honour.
“I know Rugby has a very strong volunteering culture, and Hope4 embodies all that is good about caring, compassionate, individuals who wish to use their lives to serve others in the community.
“Volunteering is not only about what you give but also what you receive, and I have heard how richly rewarding it is and just what an impact this charity is having on so many. Congratulations to all.”
Hope4 is one of just two Warwickshire organisations which were lined up to receive the prestigious award last year.
The charity’s Chair, Diana Mansell, said “It gives me great pleasure to accept this award on behalf of all our dedicated volunteers, past and present, who serve their community tirelessly.
“Whether its sorting and packing food, driving the van, meeting and greeting clients, maintenance work, cooking meals or serving as trustees, they do it with great dedication and love.
“I’d also like to thank our supporters who support our work in a myriad of ad hoc ways, including fundraising and food collections.
“Our mission is to end homelessness and food poverty one person at a time. Without our volunteers, our mission would simply be impossible.
Well done everyone.”
At the ceremony, the charity held its first long service awards, with certificates presented to volunteers who had served for five, 10 and 15 years. An afternoon tea was served after the formalities.
Two Hope4 volunteers, Stan and Ellie Bird, also attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace. Stan and Ellie have between them been volunteering with Hope4 for over 20 years at the Hope Centre, Rugby Foodbank and the Winter Night Shelter.
The ceremony was attended by the Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire Mr Tim Cox, the High Sheriff of Warwickshire Mrs Karen Lynch MBE, Rugby Mayor Barbara Brown, Rugby MP John Slinger, Warwickshire County Council Chair Edward Harris, Hope4’s Trustees, and many of its past and present volunteers and supporters.
The charity began as soup kitchen in 2005, later opening the Hope Centre to work with people experiencing homelessness, a Winter Shelter which ran for nine years until the pandemic, and Rugby Foodbank.
Small staff teams work alongside over 80 volunteers who give more than 10,000 hours of their time each year. Since 2018, Rugby Foodbank has provided over 42,500 food parcels – 40 per cent of them to children – while the Hope Centre has worked with nearly 1,000 homeless people.
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by local voluntary groups who support their communities.
It was created in 2002 to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Golden Jubilee and was continued following the accession of His Majesty The King. The 2024 awards mark the second year of The King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
