Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service 2016

Positive Images Festival wins prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service for 2016

Positive Images Festival is in its 22nd year and has now received the highest accolade for voluntary groups – the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. Created in 2002 to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, the award recognises the outstanding work carried out by local volunteer groups in their communities.
 Colin Scott, Chair of the Festival and Mehru Fitter attended  a garden party at Buckingham Palace  on Tuesday 24th May 2016 where they met the Queen and other winners of this year’s award.

The community-led Positive Images Festival celebrates diversity, promotes partnership working, showcases local talent, creates awareness about the services and activities of its 200 plus members and provides volunteering opportunities. Volunteers, whether organisations or individuals, are the lifeblood of the Festival and the reason for its success.

Starting in 1995 as a one day event, Positive Images Festival now spans a three week period, with events catering for different tastes and ages. This year’s festival will be launched by the Lord Mayor of Coventry, Councillor Lindsley Harvard at noon on Saturday 11th June at the Multicultural Book, Craft and Food Fair in Smithford Way.

Colin Scott, Chair of the festival, said, “Arranging a huge festival comprising more than 200 events over a three week period is a monumental task for an organisation run entirely by volunteers.  Every year the Festival is planned, organised and run by volunteers and it reaches more people and communities.  Long may it continue.”

The festival acquires a new look each year with input from new participating organisations and volunteers. Its work in promoting community cohesion in the city was recognised in 2013 when it received a Community Cohesion Award. 

“Positive Images Festival, is a people’s festival, a festival to conquer people’s minds and win their hearts. Getting the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is a fantastic start to the 2016 festival,” commented Mehru Fitter, Secretary of the festival.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service Committee Chair, former broadcast journalist Sir Martyn Lewis said: “I warmly congratulate all of the inspirational voluntary groups who have been rewarded for their community work with a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. The judging panel for this year’s awards were struck by the quality and breadth of all the successful groups.
The thousands of volunteers who give up spare time to help others in their community and to help solve problems demonstrate the very best of democracy in action.”

Minister for Civil Society, Rob Wilson, said: “I would like to congratulate all groups who received this year’s Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, in recognition of their fantastic achievements. The huge amount of work and commitment these organisations put into their local communities is surpassed only by the passion and motivation of the individuals who volunteer. I hope these groups continue to inspire others to get involved and make a positive impact so that we can continue to build a more compassionate society.”