A special reception was held for a charity based in the borough to present it with a prestigious King’s Award for Voluntary Service for 2024.
MindFood was awarded the honour in November. And, on Saturday (26 April), it was presented with the award.
The charity supports people struggling with stress, depression, anxiety and isolation. It primarily runs gardening and other nature-based activities at 2 sites in the borough: Cleveley Crescent Allotments near Hanger Lane and Horsenden Farm in Perivale. For many people who are feeling overwhelmed by life’s pressures and finding it difficult to leave the house, the idea of volunteering can prove to be too large a step to take. MindFood helps to bridge this gap.
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service is considered the highest recognition a UK voluntary organisation can receive and it showcases the outstanding work local groups do to support their communities.
MindFood and another local charity, the Znaniye Foundation, were among 281 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups in the UK to receive the award this year.
Ealing Council has provided support to both charities, including funding to MindFood through the council’s Community Connections Grant.
At the event on Saturday, more than 100 people were gathered at Horsenden Farm as Deputy Lieutenant Richard Kornicki CBE, the King’s representative in the borough, presented the award. Mayor of Ealing Yvonne Johnson was one of those attending, as well as councillors Polly Knewstub (cabinet member for healthy, equal lives) and Paul Driscoll (cabinet member for climate action).
‘Honoured to be in such phenomenal company’
Lucy Clark, MindFood’s programme director said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive The Kings Award, which recognises the efforts of our dedicated team, and our amazing volunteers. Every day they inspire us to do more to help people struggling with mental difficulties – they show us that, with the right support, they can live happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives.
“As we say at MindFood ‘You can’t make a plant grow, all you can do is give it the conditions it needs to thrive.’ We feel that people are a lot like that.
“We would also like to congratulate all the other King’s Award winners: we are in awe of their heroic efforts to address inequalities and make our world a better and more hopeful place to live. We feel honoured to be in such phenomenal company.”
‘Care and compassion’
When the awards were announced, council leader Peter Mason said: “MindFood and the Znaniye Foundation do incredible work helping people facing extremely challenging situations across the borough by bringing people together to support one another.
“In being awarded the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, arguably the highest recognition of their work, a light is being shone on the care and compassion people and organisations in the borough have for others around them.”
After the event at the weekend, Councillor Knewstub said: “It was so lovely to see everyone come together to celebrate MindFood being presented with the King’s Award for Voluntary Service in recognition of its fantastic work helping people facing extremely challenging mental health situations.”
Councillor Driscoll added: “I got to admire close-up the charity’s fantastic collection of more than a thousand vegetable plants, which are being grown to donate to local primary and SEND schools. MindFood’s innovative approach to helping people struggling with their mental health through food-growing really inspired me and highlighted the importance of mindfulness and the value of being with nature.”
The awards
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service was created in 2002 to celebrate Her Majesty the late Queen’s Golden Jubilee and was continued following the accession of His Majesty The King. 2024 marks the second year of The King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
The awards were announced on the 76th birthday of King Charles on 14 November.
