Nell Bank receives Kings Award for Voluntary Service
We are thrilled and honoured to have been awarded The King's Award for Voluntary Service
The MBE for Volunteer Groups
This prestigious award celebrates the outstanding work of local volunteer groups across the UK. Equivalent to an MBE, it is the highest honour given to local voluntary groups in the country and it is awarded for life.
Where it all began...
If you don't already know the full history of the centre, created in 1977 by the then Lord Mayor of Bradford Paul Hockney, to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee, Nell Bank was set up to provide both day and residential outdoor learning experiences for, children and young people from across Bradford and the Yorkshire region, consciously supporting children from less privileged backgrounds and those with special educational needs and disabilities.
Adam Clark, our volunteer Chair of the Nell Bank Charitable Trust said today:
“The award is tremendous news and a resounding endorsement of everything we do at Nell Bank and the selfless and dedicated work of all our wonderful volunteers and staff. As a team, we are overwhelmed and so very proud.”
“There is a lovely royal thread to this story as the centre at Nell Bank was originally set up in 1977 as a Queen’s Silver Jubilee project to provide outdoor curriculum-based learning opportunities through adventure and to develop a respect for the natural world. The culture and objectives of the centre have remained the same since its inception and our ethos is now as strong as ever.
“We exist solely to provide amazing opportunities for all children through outdoor learning, adventure and play. It is our passion. For many children, especially of primary school age who live in cities like Leeds and Bradford, this is the first time they may have seen and enjoyed the countryside. It is inspiring to see the effect this has on both their physical and mental wellbeing.
“It is important to stress to our volunteers that they are the unsung heroes of Nell Bank. When there were fears about the future of the centre, the trustees stepped in to develop a plan to form a fully independent and sustainable charity. Thanks to them we have a flourishing centre, which consistently achieves those charitable aims which were originally set out in 1977. It is humbling to see their hard work recognised with this wonderful royal honour.”
Adam explained: “Our mission is to inspire children to fall in love with the outdoors and we run programmes to help children understand how to protect the environment. We work closely with local naturalists to protect the environment and teach children about the importance of sustainability.
“Over 24,000 children have visited visit Nell Bank this year, with an average of 10 schools and over 500 children on site every week. We have 15 curriculum based outdoor learning programmes, we run six specialist events each year for families with disabled children to allow them to spend time safely in the outdoors.
“We now have 200 corporate volunteer days a year supporting us across the site and in the running of our events. We are incredibly grateful to all our generous corporate supporters.”
Adam Clark
Volunteer Chair of the Nell Bank Charitable Trust
Why our centre is so special
The Nell Bank Centre with 25 acres of enclosed green space, now has a range of fantastic modern facilities which include a specialist unit to support groups with special educational needs and disabilities. Our newly constructed Paul Hockney Room for our Early Years visits creates a haven for nursery and reception aged children, it doubles as a space for children and young people with special education needs, adult training and as a small group meeting space. It is set in a small woodland and overlooks a large pond with a cleverly positioned bird-watching window for children and adults to enjoy passing wildlife.
Commitment to children
When asked why Adam became involved, he replied: “I became a volunteer about six years ago on the suggestion of a mutual friend, who had recently joined Nell Bank.
Although my three daughters, who went to school locally, had all been to Nell Bank, I’m ashamed to say that it was not really on my radar! When I arrived for my first introduction to Dan, the Head of Centre, and his staff team, I was immediately struck by their skill, drive and total commitment to provide the very best experiences for the children and young people who visit. They are truly unique."
"I stood in the covered amphitheatre on that first visit and all I could hear were the screams of delight from children who were busy having fun across the Centre. I defy anyone to be immune to that sound making a smile come to your face. At the time, I was still working at my own business in Ilkley, so although my time was limited, I knew that I had to give as much time as I could to such an amazing facility.
If you asked me directly, what I get out of being a volunteer there are two main things that spring to mind."
"The first is an enormous sense of my own wellbeing, giving my time and whatever talents I may have for the common good of the Charity and the centre. I think this applies to all our amazing volunteers and I’m sure that’s way we have in excess of 200 named on our data base!
The second and most important, is the genuine positive impact that the combination of volunteers and our fantastic staff have on the children and young people who visit, wherever they come from and whatever their circumstances may be. Our mission is not to have a reason why any child or young person cannot visit the Centre. And we mean it!”
Adam closes in saying “I would like to personally thank all the volunteers and supporters of Nell Bank, you make all the difference and ensure Nell Bank continues to thrive. Receiving this award will provide us with a superb springboard from which to realise our plans to make the centre sustainable for the future by attracting future volunteers, funders and potential trustees to support our work.”
We are proud to be honoured with the King's Award for Voluntary Service. Learn more about this award >>
