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Black Country Foodbank receive the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services October 2015

7th November 2017

In 2013 we were honoured to be awarded the Queens Award for Voluntary Services. This is the highest award a voluntary organisation can receive in the UK. On October 22nd 2015 we welcomed the Duke of Kent who came to officially present Black Country Foodbank with the award.

Our warehouse in Albion Street, Brierley Hill was packed out with volunteers from all of our 19 centres who waited in anticipation of the Duke of Kent to arrive. After showing HRH around the warehouse and answering his questions about Foodbank we introduced him to some of our volunteers so he could hear more about what Black Country Foodbank is all about.

Previous to the visit by the Duke of Kent two of our volunteers were chosen to attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace to celebrate receiving the award. Kelvin Bates who has volunteered with BCFB for many years was one of the lucky volunteers chosen to attend the garden party. Here are his thoughts

“I was honoured to be asked to go to Buckingham Palace to the official Garden Party for the Queens Award. It was a lovely day. It was a very smart occasion and I was glad I had worn a suit! I enjoyed walking through the palace and seeing inside, it was a real privilege. The Garden Party itself was fabulous, the food was amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting interesting people from other charities, from the military and religious organisations. I had a wonderful time and thoroughly enjoyed myself”.

We are so proud of all of our volunteers and we know we couldn’t do what we do without them.