The team at Headhunters Railway Museum were among 100 local organisations which attended a recent celebration event in Mossley Mill to mark the fifteenth anniversary of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Headhunters was awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2017 in recognition of the outstanding work the organisation carries out in the community.

Previous Fermanagh recipients of the Queen’s Award have included: The Inniskillings Museum, Ballinamallard United Football Club; the South East Fermanagh Foundation and Share Holiday Village volunteer team.

The accolade is the highest award given to volunteer groups across the UK and has an equivalent status to an MBE for individuals. 

Leo O’Reilly, Permanent Secretary of the Department for Communities said: “This celebration event acknowledges the tireless work of volunteers who regularly devote their time to helping others in the community. 
“These groups clearly improve the quality of life and opportunity for others and provide an outstanding service. They fully deserve this recognition.”
Sir Martyn Lewis, Chair of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service Committee added: 
“The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is our country’s top award for groups of volunteers who beaver away at grassroots level to transform some aspect of life in their local community. 
“Since being established by the Queen to mark her Golden Jubilee in 2002, the awards have shown the people of Northern Ireland at their very best, coming together from all sections of society to touch virtually every area of need. Volunteering taps into a rich spirit of generosity and kindness, which I recognise only too well from my schooldays in Northern Ireland.”
Denise Hayward, Chief Executive of Volunteer Now, concluded, saying: “This has been a great event highlighting the real difference that volunteers can make.”