Still Good Food has been honoured with The King’s Award for Voluntary Service – the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK. The Suffolk-based charity has been rewarded for its efforts by volunteers to rescue surplus food and redistribute it to the public through its shops in Bury St Edmunds and Great Barton, Suffolk.
The award is equivalent to an MBE and is awarded for life. It’s announced every year on 14 November, the King’s birthday.
Representatives of Still Good Food will receive the award crystal and certificate from Lady Clare FitzRoy, Countess of Euston and Lord-Lieutenant of Suffolk later in the year. In addition, two volunteers from Still Good Food will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May and June 2025, along with other recipients of this year’s Award.
‘Marvellous volunteers’
Roz Scott, Gleaning Coordinator from Still Good Food said “We simply could not exist without our marvellous volunteers, so this award is absolutely for them. They ‘glean’ fields to collect food from farms which would otherwise go to waste.
“They rescue unsold food from supermarkets and retailers. They staff our shops where all the food that’s been collected is distributed to our customers. Our mission to reduce food waste can only happen because of their time. We are absolutely thrilled that the dedication and support Still Good Food receives from local people has been recognised in the best possible way.”
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups to support their communities. It 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.
Rescued more than 12,500KG of produce
Still Good Food is one of 281 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year.
Over the past three months alone during harvest, the Still Good Food volunteers have rescued more than 12,500KG of produce, which has since been redistributed to the public.
For more on Still Good Food, click here.
