Bexhill Caring Community is a winner

'¢ Cuckmere Community Bus offer local residents who do not have access to a car, together with a large number of visitors to the area, an efficient, reliable and competitively priced friendly local services.

'¢ Homecall (Eastbourne) recruits and trains volunteers to support mainly elderly visually impaired clients throughout East Sussex in order to maintain their independence and combat any social isolation they may be experiencing due to their sight loss.

'¢ The Bexhill Caring Community works closely with service organisations locally to help improve the welfare of those in need within in the Bexhill community. The charity receives no assistance from national or local government and relies solely on donations, legacies and fundraising.

'¢ The Crowborough Vale Drama Group has been supporting the local community by raising funds to buy equipment for good causes and charities. Every year, the Group stages an 'Annual Review' which the group both fund and produce. Volunteers write scripts, make costumes and design and build sets, and the Review has become a central part of the community's calendar, will tickets selling out every year.

'¢ Woodingdean Youth Centre near Brighton in Sussex is one of the busiest youth centres in the city; engaging young people aged 5-21 in a wide range of groups, activities, projects and workshops. The centre, based in a rural area, offers over a thousand young people every year somewhere to go, which is their own space

The voluntary groups are five of only 104 organisations to win an Award across the UK this year.

All winners have been nominated by members of the public who have either benefited from their work, or seen the positive effect on their community. The Award is only given to those groups where volunteers are judged to have regularly devoted their time to providing an outstanding level of help to other people.

Ed Miliband, Minister for the Third Sector, said:

"I congratulate the winners of the Queen's Award and pay tribute to the brilliant work they do. Throughout our country, in every walk of life, they make a huge contribution to social cohesion, community renewal and social justice.

"These groups show us how much can be achieved when people join together to make a difference. They bind communities, and help the most vulnerable people. They are an example to us all."

If you know a volunteering group that are really making a difference to your community, then nomination forms for the 2006 Queen's Award for Voluntary Service are available from www.queensawardvoluntary.gov.uk or by calling 0845 000 2002. The nomination period runs until 30 September 2006.

1. Her Majesty The Queen announced on 30th April 2002 the creation of a new, annual Award to mark the occasion of her Golden Jubilee. The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service is the new name for this award, previously the Queen's Golden Jubilee Award for Voluntary Service, which celebrates outstanding achievements by groups of volunteers.

2. To date, over 492 Voluntary groups have won the Award, including 104 in 2006.

3. The Award covers the whole of the United Kingdom, the Channel Isles and the Isle of Man.

4. The number of Awards given each year will depend on the number and quality of the nominations received. The Award is made to groups, rather than to individuals.

5. Groups must be nominated for the Award. Self nomination is not permitted.

6. Further details on entrance criteria and the nominations process are available from www.queensawardvoluntary.gov.uk.

7. Entries for the 2006/7 Awards are now open, and will remain open until 30th September 2006. The winners will be announced on 2nd June 2007.