Newquay Orchard staff and volunteers came together on Thursday 27th October 2022 to receive the Queens Award for Voluntary Service.
They also took the opportunity to plant a tree presented to the community organisation as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy that had formed part of the the ‘Tree of Trees’ sculpture that stood outside Buckingham Palace as part of this year’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Newquay Orchard, Newquay’s urban greenspace built by the community, for the community, was awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service on 2nd June, the 70th anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation. The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups to benefit their communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate The Queen’s Golden Jubilee.
This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.
Jenny Hindson, Chief Operating Officer of Urban Biodiversity, the team behind Newquay Orchard, said: “It is such a privilege forour volunteers to receive this award for the incredible work they have put in to create the Orchard we know and love today.”
The double-presentation was attended by volunteers from throughout the Orchard’s history, including Briant Colwill, the Orchard’s second longest-serving volunteer of 6 years, who accepted the award on behalf of Newquay Orchard’s 800+ strong volunteer team.
Briant said of the award: “This place is for the community. People wander up the Orchard, admire the plants and see everything else we’ve achieved. It is a fantastic feeling. Quite simply, none of this would be here without the Orchard volunteers.”
The Orchard was one of three organisations in Cornwall – together with Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust and Children’s Hospice South West – to receive a tree as part of the 2022 Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
The ‘Tree of Trees’, made up of 350 saplings and designed by Thomas Heatherwick, was part of an initiative called The Queen’s Green Canopy, which encourages communities to ‘plant a tree for the Jubilee’. All 350 trees have been sent to community organisations across the UK and in Cornwall we were lucky enough to receive three.
Both presentations were made by the Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall, Colonel Edward Bolitho OBE, who told those gathered at the Orchard: “This is a proud day for you all and one this community organisation will remember forever, I am sure.”
“It may be even more poignant to note that this was among the last of the Queens Awards presented under the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. A truly wonderful celebration of Newquay Orchard and thoroughly deserved.”
The Orchard’s tree, a silver birch, was planted in The Glade, a popular picnic spot for families.
Jenny concluded: “This space was nothing but a field 8 years ago. It’s because of the hard work, passion and dedication of our volunteers that Newquay Orchard has become the community hub it is today.”
“There is no better way for us to mark this momentous occasion than for our volunteers to do what they do best; plant a tree.”
