Stotfold Watermill volunteers recognised by The Queen with prestigious Award

Stotfold Watermill has been announced as one of 103 UK volunteering groups to win this year’s The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the MBE for volunteer groups.

The prestigious National Honour recognises outstanding contributions made to local communities by groups voluntarily devoting their time for the benefit of others. It sets the national benchmark for excellence in volunteering, with the work of those awarded being judged of the highest standard.

Stotfold Watermill has received the Award for transforming a derelict building, through the efforts of hundreds of volunteers, into a thriving and sustainable watermill, which produces stone-ground flour once more. The Mill is open to the public every alternate Sunday from March to October, enabling visitors to view the completely restored building and equipment and to buy flour directly from the Mill itself. Stotfold Watermill also provides a vital educational and historical resource detailing the local rural heritage and has become the focus of community involvement in Stotfold and the surrounding villages.

Winners of this year’s Award were selected from 341 groups nominated by members of the public who have been helped personally or witnessed the benefits of a group’s work in their community.

Stotfold Watermill will receive a certificate signed by the Queen and an exclusive commemorative crystal, presented by Her Majesty's representative in Bedfordshire, Mr Samuel Whibread, the Lord Lieutenant, at a special ceremony. The group has also received an invitation for representatives to attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in the summer.

Speaking of their success, Paul Redwood, a member of the Board of Trustees of Stotfold Watermill said: "The motto of Stotfold Watermill is ‘Keeping the wheels of history turning – through the power of volunteers’ so we are all thrilled that the hard work of so many people over many years has been recognised by this prestigious award." He added, "We are also very grateful to Councillor Christina Turner who submitted the nomination and for the letters of support from Alistair Burt MP; Tricia Turner – Chair of Central Bedfordshire; Brian Collier, Chair of Stotfold Town Council; Fatima Choudhury of the Museums Education Service; Colin Phelps – Head of St. Mary’s VC Lower School and Claudia Thiele – Teacher at Lonsdale School, Stevenage.."

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service Main Award Committee Chair and former broadcast journalist Martyn Lewis CBE said,

"Outstanding volunteer groups across the UK all too often go without recognition for the truly amazing work they do, despite the vital part they play in helping bind our communities together. It’s a great pleasure to celebrate the efforts of Stotfold Watermill with The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service and help raise awareness of all they do for the benefit of others."

More than 850 groups around the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man have now won the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, over the eight years since it was created by Her Majesty to mark the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002.

For details of all this year’s Award winners and information on how to nominate a group, visit www.direct.gov.uk/thequeensawardforvoluntaryservice, where a nomination form can be downloaded.