The Rt Hon Maria Miller, MP for Basingstoke, is drawing attention to two unique Awards within the UK National Honours system which reward community groups involved in volunteering and national organisations involved in promoting volunteering.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the equivalent of the MBE for volunteer groups and recognises outstanding contributions made to local communities by groups of volunteers. Nominations for the 2013 Award must be made by the end of September.

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Volunteering Award 2012 is a special award to recognise national volunteering organisations and organisations, both national and local, that have worked specifically to provide volunteering support to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The deadline for nominating for these awards is 16 October.

Further details  including the on-line nomination process can be found on www.direct.gov.uk/qavs.

Maria said: “There are many fantastic community groups in Basingstoke, which do really inspiring work in supporting the needs of others, including for example volunteers working with young people, the socially vulnerable , people with health problems and those involved in community projects. I would urge everyone to consider nominating one of these groups for one of Her Majesty the Queen’s Volunteering Awards, to get this recognition for the great work that they do.”