Celebrations took place as Mrs Johanna Ropner, the Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire presented York Women’s Counselling Service (YWCS) with The King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
The presentation took place at the Priory Street Centre and was attended by volunteers and trustees from YWCS.
Emily Douse, Director, received the award on behalf of YWCS and said of the award,
“We’re unbelievably grateful to have received The King’s Award for Voluntary Service. At a time when more women than ever are seeking help and support for their mental health we hope this award will shine a light on the work that we do, the services we provide and recognise the incredible work our volunteer counsellors do. Without our counsellors’ dedication and commitment to providing their experience and expertise we would not be able to support the women that walk through our doors every day.”
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups which benefit their communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee and, following his accession, His Majesty The King emphasised his desire to continue the Award.
The Lord-Lieutenant commented,
“It was an absolute pleasure to meet the volunteers and team at York Women’s Counselling Service. Their efforts to create a welcoming and safe environment are exemplary. I do hope that by receiving The Kings Award for Voluntary Service they are able to reach more women, those that need the services provided as well as those who can join this incredible charity as volunteer counsellors.”
YWCS was formed in 2000 and for almost twenty-five years, has provided support through its network of qualified volunteer counsellors, to women whose needs cannot be met by public health services because of a lack of availability and affordability.
Susie Braithwaite from YWCS said,
“We’re thrilled to have received The King’s Award for Voluntary Service. We’re looking forward to celebrating at The Lord Mayor of York’s Ball on May 18th 2024 where our friends and supporters will enjoy a wonderful black-tie event and raise funds for YWCS as one of the Civic Party’s chosen charities for 2024. It’s been a fantastic year for YWCS so far and we look forward to achieving much more over the coming months and beyond.”
