News & Events

Queen pays tribute
to Horsham volunteering group
with prestigious Award

The Springboard Project from Horsham has been announced as one of 79 volunteering groups from across the UK winning this year’s Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, recognising the outstanding contributions made to local communities by groups voluntarily devoting their time for the benefit of others.

The prestigious National Honour, which is equivalent to the MBE, sets the national benchmark for excellence in volunteering, and the activities of those awarded have been judged of the highest standard.

The Springboard Project has received the Award from Her Majesty for its work as a community based Children’s Centre offering inclusive play and recreational activities for children and young people of all abilities.

The 2008 Award winners were selected from 379 groups nominated by members of the public who have been helped personally or witnessed the benefits of a group’s work in their community. The Springboard Project will be presented with an exclusive crystal trophy marking their success at a special local ceremony being given by the Queen’s Lord Lieutenant for West Sussex.

Phil Hope, Minister for the Third Sector, said, "I’m sure everyone in West Sussex will join me in offering Springboard Project our congratulations and sincere thanks.

“The work of Springboard Project demonstrates the positive impact that volunteers have on communities, work they undertake without seeking any kind of accolade. That is why I’m particularly pleased their efforts are recognised by the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.”

More than 600 groups around the UK have now won the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, over the six years since it was created by Her Majesty to mark the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002.

About the Queen’s Award
for Voluntary Service

In 2002, in celebration of Her Majesty’s Golden Jubilee, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award for Voluntary Service by Groups in the Community was established. Its purpose is to recognise groups of individuals who are giving their time freely for the benefit of others. It is the highest honour that can be bestowed upon groups of this kind and is equivalent in status to the MBE. As such, the Queen’s Award not only serves to provide recognition of volunteer groups, but also demonstrates the high respect in which volunteering is held.

Groups must be nominated for the Award – self nomination is not permitted. A group (two or more people) can be nominated if it is based in the UK, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. The group has to have been volunteering for the benefit of people in the UK or overseas for at least three years and more than half its members must be volunteers who have the right of residence in the UK. Groups solely concerned with fundraising for charitable purposes are not eligible.

Sam Bikes from North to South
by “JOGLE”

15 year old Sam Kilbury is planning to ride from John O’Groats to Lands End during the month after his GCSE exams this summer and fundraise for Springboard project. The idea of this arduous bike ride came to Sam a few months ago – it seemed like a good idea at the time….only later did he realise what a mammoth task it would be!

Sam has been training hard for many months now and says he is really looking forward to the challenge.

To help Sam in his ambition to cycle the length of Great Britain, please help support him by visiting his website:
www.jogle.org.uk
and to pledge your sponsorship via his link page on the “Just Giving” website.

You can also find out about the route Sam is going to take and keep up with his progress – he will be posting regular photos and a blog on his JOGLE website to let everyone know how he is getting on.

Eileen & Margaret's Chinese Challenge

Eileen White & Margaret Dawson will be trekking along The Great Wall of China in April 2009. They are both hoping to raise everyone’s awareness of what The Springboard Project has to offer and raise as much money as possible for our charity too.

Margaret’s son James is a member of Outburst and Buddies which are activities groups based at Springboard Project which arrange outings for youngsters who have a range of disabilities or additional needs.

Eileen and Margaret have already started their our fundraising efforts and had a very successful event recently at the Jade City Restaurant on the 31st March when they raised a fantastic £980!

Please pledge your support to this event on their website:
www.trekspringboard0409.webs.com

Nigel & Kris – The Marathon Men

At this year’s London Marathon Nigel Cook and his son Kris (right) ran the whole course and – including Gift Aid - raised over £400 for our Charity.

Nigel said “Kris and I managed to keep together for the whole marathon and crossed the line in 3hr 41 minutes. We both felt really tired and had found it hard work from about 16 miles onwards. The sun was shining as we started but by mile 10 the heavens opened up. However it stopped a few miles later and we finished in sunshine. That didn't last long as the rain started again soon afterwards and we were soaked again!”

So well done to both our runners for completing the course in such an excellent time and also raising such a terrific sum for us.

National Biffaward 2006

The Springboard Project was awarded the runners-up "highly commended" prize for the National Biffawards held at the Northmoor Trust in Wallingford, Oxfordshire. Out of 173 nominations across the UK, only 5 projects were shortlisted for the following categories:- National Environment, Community Buildings, Outdoor Recreation and Small Grants. The Springboard Project won the runners-up award for the Small Grants category for its Jubilee Leisure Garden. The certificate was presented by one of the judges, Dr Mark Fishpool who told the audience that he was"..extremely impressed by the environmentally sustainable approach to the design to provide such an accessible play area for local children of all abilities."

Horsham's Best Awards 2006

The Springboard Project was nominated for the "Community Organisation Award" and in May we learnt that we had won this category. A presentation was made to our Project Manager, Nigel Scott-Dickeson, who accepted the award on behalf of everyone who works to make Springboard the success it is within the local community.