Special Olympics Sandwell receives The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service

Special Olympics Sandwell, a group of volunteers based in Sandwell, West Midlands, have just been awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.

Special Olympics Sandwell is one of 244 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year and is part of Special Olympics Great Britain, a sporting organisation for children and adults with intellectual / learning disabilities that operates in England, Scotland and Wales. Special Olympics GB is part of the global Special Olympics movement.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups to benefit their communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate The Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Recipients are announced each year on 2nd June, the Anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation.

Norma Hyde, the Chair of Special Olympics Sandwell, on behalf of the Committee, says “ I am absolutely delighted that our group’s work has been recognised with this great honour. We started in 1983 and I would like to thank all our Volunteers, both past and present, for their hard work throughout almost 40 years. Our Wonderful Volunteers are very dedicated throughout the year, supporting our Amazing Athletes in their numerous sports. Volunteers are committed to help them with their weekly training sessions to enable them to enter Annual Competitions. Our Committee of Volunteers work hard behind the scenes to enable it all to happen and all our Volunteers are extremely committed to enabling our members to fulfil their true sporting potential.”

Our Special Olympics Motto is :–

‘Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt’

Representatives of Special Olympics Sandwell will receive the award crystal and certificate from John Crabtree OBE, Lord-Lieutenant of the West Midlands later this summer.