CFINE volunteers
Community Food Initiatives North East (CFINE), a charity and social enterprise based in Aberdeen, has been honoured with the Queen’s Award for voluntary service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.
The charity supports 350 volunteers throughout a year, three of whom have volunteered at CFINE for over 11 years. CFINE’s army of volunteers involves a wide age-range from teens to 70s. Some volunteers are completing their Duke of Edinburgh Award, while others are adults with additional needs or learning difficulties. They are the backbone of the organisation; giving up their free time to help with tasks such as making up food parcels, operating a food bank and Community Food Outlets (CFOs), administration, warehousing and so on. The hard work of its volunteers allows CFINE to alleviate and work towards terminating poverty in the North-east.
Dave Simmers, CFINE’s chief executive officer said: “We are delighted that CFINE’s volunteers have received this most distinctive award. Recognition of hard work is essential and CFINE’s board of directors, management team and staff express their gratitude and pay tribute to the commitment of our volunteer colleagues with a Volunteers’ Social Event on Friday, June 7”.
CFINE is one of 281 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. The number of nominations and awards has increased year on year since the awards were introduced in 2002, showing that the voluntary sector is thriving and full of innovative ideas to make life better for those around them.
Lesley DeJager, CFINE chairperson and Helen Riach, CFINE volunteer will attend the Queen’s Garden Party at Holyrood Palace in July, along with other recipients of this year’s Award. Representatives of CFINE will receive the award from Lord Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire later this summer.
The Queen’s Award for voluntary service aims to recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups to benefit their local communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Winners are announced each year on June 2 – the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation.