Awards Ceremony for OKFP - Sponsored Editorial

Volunteers from Old Kilpatrick Food Parcels charity were honoured at an Awards Ceremony in April after receiving the news from Buckingham Palace they were to receive the King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS) - the charity equivalent of an MBE.

The charity, which celebrates its fifth anniversary this year, was set up during the pandemic to support villagers struggling to get essential food and medicines.

With the help of volunteers of all ages it has since grown into a thriving local hub providing emergency food aid, training and a welcoming space for all the community.

Lord Lieutenant Jill Young presented the KAVS award to the volunteers at the Awards Ceremony in Clydebank Town Hall, hosted by Provost Karen Murray Conaghan.

OKFP are the first voluntary group to receive the award in West Dunbartonshire in eight years.

Maureen Cummings, founder of OKFP, said: “It was an enormous surprise when we heard the news.”

The group was initially contacted in 2022 by then depute Lord Lieutenant, Owen Sayers and interviewed about a nomination.

Maureen said: “I just forgot about it after that, I didn’t think it was for the likes of us – it was just nice to be nominated.

“Then about a year later I received a letter saying we were selected for an official nomination.

"I was delighted to think of all the organisations put forward we received an official nomination.”

Again, Maureen forgot about it and got on with the day-to-day work of managing a busy charity.

It wasn’t until last October she received an email from Buckingham Palace with the official announcement.

The news was finally made public in November, raising the charity’s profile and reaching new supporters and investors.

Maureen added: “We can now use the KAVS crest on our publicity material – it’s a real honour and privilege.”

Over 150 people have volunteered with OKFP since it started in 2020 and Maureen enjoyed celebrating with them at the Awards Ceremony.

“This award is a testament to our volunteers’ dedication and commitment to the local community – they are the ones who make it all happen.

“We’re hoping the publicity around KAVS will encourage new volunteers to get involved.”

There are a variety of volunteer roles with OKFP with hours ranging from 2 – 10 hours per week.

Volunteering opportunities include: stockroom assistants, promotional assistants, café assistants, kitchen and food preparation, meet and greet, supporting OKFP’s social events, gardening, admin & social media.

Maureen added: “All our volunteers have the opportunity to be upskilled; we offer a range of in-house training including Food Hygiene, Health & Safety, First Aid & CPR, Customer Service, Cooking & Baking, Digital Support and Admin.”

To find out more about volunteering with OKFP contact oldkilpatrickfoodparcels@gmail.com