Two of North Hertfordshire College’s Supported Interns, Jessica and Joey, have been awarded the King’s Award for Voluntary Services – the equivalent of a collective MBE – through their roles at the Waste Not Want Not garden centre!
The awards, which are the first to be given out in HRH King Charles III’s reign, are designed to celebrate the work of local volunteer groups across the UK. The Waste not Want Not garden centre team are delighted to receive this honour as it is the highest award given to local voluntary groups and they are awarded for life – an incredible honour for anyone who receives the award. Only 262 awards were given out in 2023, with only 5 being in the Hertfordshire region, and it is a great achievement for the Waste Not Want Not team to have been recognised in this way.
The garden centre was first established in 2008 and uses horticulture as a therapeutic tool to help members of the community to gain experience in a supportive and inclusive environment. Jessica and Joey’s Supported Internships see them volunteering in the nursery and helping the team care for and sell plants and garden decorations. They’ve gained valuable experience and have developed their work skills, thanks to the support of the friendly Waste Not Want Not team.
Rob, who works with Waste Not Want Not, told us: “The Supported Studies team and their students have made a huge contribution to the direction and purpose of our project for quite a few years, so a big part of the award is down to the hard work and dedication of the staff at North Hertfordshire College – as well, of course, as the engagement, willingness, and fun of the students.”
Sir Martyn Lewis CBE, the Chair of the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, said in a statement: “I have no doubt that these awards will delight His Majesty The King, with his well-known commitment to volunteering, on his birthday. This year’s 262 King’s Awards for Voluntary Service honour truly impressive recipients across the length and breadth of the UK.
“The awardees work selflessly as groups of volunteers to address every conceivable kind of local issue across all our communities. We ow them huge congratulations, but also much more than that for the inestimable value they bring to our society.”
Congratulations again to Jessica, Joey, the Supported Internship team, and all the wonderful volunteers at Waste Not Want Not community nursery for their achievement!
To find out more about Supported Internships at North Hertfordshire College and how you can get involved, please visit our Supported Studies page or Give a Future campaign.