A THURROCK cub pack has been honoured by the King on his birthday.

1st Ockendon Cub Pack have earned the Kings Award for Voluntary Service, the highest national award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.

The King's Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS) was originally created by the Late Queen as the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS) in 2002 to celebrate The Queen's Golden Jubilee. The QAVS became the KAVS with the death of HM The Queen in 2022. 

Ockendon cub leaders

Recipients of the KAVS are announced at the anniversary of The King's birthday on 14 November each year.

Representatives of the winning groups receive the KAVS Award Crystal and a KAVS Certificate signed by HM The King, which provides a handwritten citation of the work of the group from His Majesty's representative in the County, the Lord-Lieutenant, at a local ceremony. 

Two volunteers from the winning groups are invited to attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in the summer of the following year, along with other recipients of this award from across the country.

Paul Morton Kemp, 1st Ockenden Cub Pack, said: "All of the leaders at 1st Ockendon cub scouts were absolutely thrilled to hear we had been awarded the KAVs award. 

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"We knew there were strong extremely strong nominations and to have been awarded it is just amazing. 

"We certainly don't do Scouting for recognition or praise but to get some is massively appreciated. 

"We think we are the first Cub pack as opposed full scout group to have received the KAVS award, and which makes it all the more special for us. "We are going to see if we can get a very special uniform badge made which every Cub and leader will be able to wear proudly."

Mrs Jennifer Tolhurst, Lord-Lieutenant of Essex, said: "The announcement of four winners of the prestigious King's Award for Voluntary Service across Essex is a wonderful tribute to the outstanding work of the voluntary sector.

"The number of awards won across Essex is the highest in the Eastern Region and demonstrates the diversity of the groups from the very small to the very large. This achievement speaks volumes for the excellence of volunteering in our county and the increasing importance of volunteers for community wellbeing. 

"It also highlights the hard work of the Essex King's Award for Voluntary Service Panel, who are responsible for assessing the groups nominated for the award. They take their work seriously to help promote and reward excellence in volunteering across Essex."