Voluntary group wins top award

A VOLUNTARY group from Oban which works in the community to organise a 10- day winter festival each November has been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK to recognise outstanding work in their communities.

The committee works closely with local business, charities and schools to put together a programme of events with something for people of all ages to enjoy, showcasing local crafts and skills to visitors and locals alike, inviting them to join in the celebrations while stimulating cultural activities, and boosting the local economy at a traditionally quiet time of year.

David Finlayson, from the Oban Winter Festival Committee, will attend a garden party at Holyrood on July 5 where he will meet the Queen and other winners of this year’s award.

The Oban Winter Festival Committee is one of 193 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. The number of awards given to groups this year is slightly higher than last year, showing that the voluntary sector is thriving and full of innovative ideas to tackle community challenges.

The awards were created in 2002 to celebrate the Queen’s golden jubilee and winners are announced each year on June 2 – the anniversary of the Queen’s coronation.

The Oban Winter Festival Committee will receive the award from the Lord Lieutenant of Argyll and Bute later this summer.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service Committee chairman, 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.’

The Oban Winter Festival Committee said it is delighted and honoured to receive this award on behalf of all the volunteers, businesses, charities and groups who contribute to the event in many different ways.