Harrogate & Ripon Centres for Voluntary Service scoops top royal award

Harrogate & Ripon Centres for Voluntary Service, which has a base at Ripon Community House, already has many strings to its bow and now has something else to be proud of: a Duke of York’s Community Initiative award.

Harrogate & Ripon Centres for Voluntary Service, which has a base at Ripon Community House, already has many strings to its bow and now has something else to be proud of: a Duke of York’s Community Initiative award.

With 184 members and over 180 active volunteers Harrogate & Ripon CVS provides a Volunteer Centre service which matches people who want to volunteer with local charities as well as a specialist advice service for the hundreds of charities and community groups based in the Harrogate District. The CVS also facilitate partnership working within the local voluntary sector and where needed fill the gaps in the care of vulnerable people through services such as the Ripon & Rural Wellbeing Scheme and the Ripon Volunteer Car Drivers Scheme.

Presented annually to organisations who are seen to be making a very real difference to the communities they serve the award will be given out to a total of 34 different groups by HRH The Duke of York at a ceremony to be held in the New Year.

Speaking of the award Karen Weaver, Chief Executive of Harrogate & Ripon Centres for Voluntary Service says ‘We’re thrilled to receive this award from the Duke of York. It’s an honour to be recognised for our work and this is also a great recognition of our huge team of volunteers who give up their time to support our services in the community.’

The Duke of York’s Community Initiative is open to local charities and community groups from across the whole of Yorkshire. More details can be found at www.thedukeofyorkscommunityinitiative.org.uk