THIS weekend is the deadline to nominate Oxfordshire’s volunteer groups for The Queen’s Award.

The prestigious title is the highest award given to local groups for work done in the community.

Any member of the public can nominate a group, as long as they are not a member.

Oxfordshire deputy lieutenant Marion Stevenson, who leads the county’s assessment panel, said: “The team of assessors have been extremely impressed by the high standards of professionalism shown by many voluntary sector organisations, as well as by the commitment, dedication and passion of those involved.

“Our experience underlines a clear conclusion – without the organisations working in this sector we would all be infinitely the poorer.”

Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action (OCVA) chief executive Alison Baxter said: “This prestigious award is a great way for people to say thank you to a local charity or voluntary group that has helped them or their family.

“It’s also an invaluable source of publicity for the groups that receive the award and means that more people can find out about services that could help them too.”

Any group of two or more people who have shown a real demonstration of benefit to a local area for three or more years can be nominated.

  • To nominate a group, visit direct.gov.uk/qavs or phone 020 7271 6206.