Member Article

Gorton Monastery hosts Queen’s Award ceremony honouring Third Sector

Two well-known local charities who help some of the most disadvantaged people in Greater Manchester were among 13 organisations in Greater Manchester to receive the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, which has equivalent status as the MBE, at a special ceremony at Gorton Monastery in east Manchester.

Mustard Tree and Wood Street Mission each collected an engraved commemorative crystal trophy and a certificate signed by Her Majesty the Queen presented by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Warren Smith and the Vice Lord-Lieutenant, Mrs Edith Conn.

Established in 1994, Mustard Tree has supported over 18,000 people in its 20 year history. It is committed to providing life support for the homeless and marginalised across Greater Manchester.

The charity helps 4,500 people every year, the majority of which are referred from statutory agencies such as Manchester City Council teams, the Probation Service, the NHS, and housing associations.

They work with those who are facing the greatest barriers to employment, education, good health outcomes, secure housing, social integration and financial integration, by seeking to tackle both the causes and consequences of poverty.

Adrian Nottingham, CEO of Mustard Tree, said “It is fantastic to get this award in our 20th anniversary year. It has been a privilege to have offered support to so many people at their time of need and vulnerability, and whilst that would have been reward enough, to be the recipients of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is a huge encouragement.

“We have so many success stories such as Graham Hudson, who came to us as a client, became a volunteer and is now employed as our creative programme manager. Mustard Tree is supported by hundreds of volunteers ranging from young people to corporate CEO’s and entire businesses.

“The reality is that we know that we are just one piece in the jigsaw, and without all of our friends, supporters and volunteers we simply couldn’t do what we do.”

Founded in 1869, Wood Street Mission is one of the oldest charities in Manchester. It has a small staff team of seven, nine regular volunteers and over 200 occasional volunteers.

The regular volunteers come from the local community while occasional volunteers who help out at peak times, especially Christmas and Easter, are drawn from the corporate sector. Together they contribute 2,500 hours per year.

Manchester has some of the most disadvantaged communities and has one of the highest rates of child poverty in the country. More than 1 in 3 children in Manchester are living in poverty though the figure increases to about 1 in 2 in some of the most deprived wards. Last year the charity helped almost 7000 children and 3000 families – up more than a fifth on the previous year.

Wood Street Mission enables families to participate in important community and cultural events like Christmas and Easter by providing them with new toys, Easter Eggs and food hampers.

In 2013 their Christmas Project helped 4000 children and 2000 families – 150 a day through the month of December. In 2013 they also provided 1, 300 unbranded free school uniforms to make the start of the school year more affordable for families on low income and help children fit in with their peers.

Roseanne Sweeney, Chief Executive of Wood Street Mission said: “Our volunteers help redistribute about a quarter of a million pounds worth of good quality second hand clothes, bedding and baby equipment directly to children and families in need, as well as important childhood possessions like new toys and books.

“They also raise funds and organise appeals for new school uniforms, are volunteer readers at holiday book clubs and play an important role promoting our work and raising awareness of the impact of poverty in Manchester and Salford. We are incredibly grateful for their hard work that makes it possible to help so many children in need.”

The Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Warren Smith, said: “These are both very deserving charities who help improve the lives of people in need. This prestigious award, the equivalent to getting an MBE, champions best practice in volunteering.

“We know there are many other organisations out there doing incredible work and contributing so much to their communities and we hope more unsung heroes are nominated for next year’s awards.”

In total thirteen voluntary groups from across the county received an award this year, a record number for Greater Manchester and only matched by Greater London.

The closing date for nominations for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service 2015 is 30 September 2014. For information on how to nominate a group, visit: www.manchesterlieutenancy.org or www.gov.uk/queens-award-for-voluntary-service.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .