FESTIVAL OF FIRSTS AWARD
Wirral Festival of Firsts received the Queen’s Award for
Voluntary Service from the Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside Mr
Mark Blundell at Holiday Inn Hoylake on Tuesday 23rd January
2018.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Lord Lieutenants Dr Nicholas M.
Jedynakiewicz and Mr Nigel Lanceley gave some background to
the QAVS and the assessment process and the Lord Lieutenant Mr
Mark Blundell spoke about some of the qualities of the Festival’s
volunteering programme that led to its being given the award
saying that ““The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service 2017
represents a tremendous achievement for your organisation.”
Mrs Sylvia Dutton, Festival Volunteer and wife of late Chair Stirling
Dutton, stepped forward to accept the award on behalf of all the
volunteers, while Sue Boardman, the Festival’s first Volunteer
Coordinator and partner of the Festival’s founding chairman John
Gorman, gave a short thank you address.
The brief ceremony was also attended by the Lord Mayor of Wirral
Ann McLachlan and Mr Bill McLachlan as well as Councillors
Gerry Ellis and Eddie Boult. Speaking earlier, Linda Gardiner,
chair of the Festival, had expressed her pride that the 100%
volunteer-run Festival was now in its 8th consecutive year as
a result of the dedication of its volunteers, “Like puppies and
Christmas the Festival isn’t just for summer - it’s an all year round
commitment and - like puppy ownership and virtue, it is its own
reward. Our hard working team seeks little by way of recognition
or formal reward. It is therefore especially pleasing the work of our
volunteers who have contributed to eight years of Wirral Festival of
Firsts has been recognised in this very special way. I am confident
in speaking for all of those volunteers past and present when I say
how immensely proud and pleased we are to receive this award.“
86 wirrallife.com