Gaskell House Blogs

Receiving our Queens Award

Posted
4th September 2019
in blog, Volunteering

Last Wednesday, 28th August, I was one of eight from Elizabeth Gaskell’s House, who, along with Sally, our manager, represented our many volunteers at a ceremony in Gorton Monastery, to receive our Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. We arrived at 10.15am and gathered in the newly built entrance hall with a wonderful  mix of approximately 300 others from the all over Greater Manchester.

Gtr Manchester Lieutenancy Presentation to Winners, The Queen’s Awards for Voluntary Service 2019 at Gorton Monastery in Manchester

After coffee and cake we all took our seats in the magnificent nave for the ceremony. The awards were presented by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant  and Vice Lord- Lieutenant who read a message from the Queen. Then a citation was read for each group detailing all the amazing voluntary work from beekeeping, to soup kitchens and mountain rescue. Finally Diane Duffy and Lesley Burn went up to collect our award and certificate (signed but the Queen, herself), and when all the awards had been presented, we filed out for photographs. The beautiful crystal award is now proudly displayed in the tea room a fitting reward for all our dedicated volunteers.

Dianne Bamber
Volunteer

a whispering of leaves and perfume of flowers always pervaded the rooms

Charlotte Brontë, on visiting 84 Plymouth Grove