Local volunteer groups in Briton Ferry and Glyncorrwg honoured with King’s Award
Friends of Jersey Park in Briton Ferry and Noddfa Community Centre in Glyncorrwg are among just five Welsh recipients this year, standing alongside 231 groups across the UK. The award celebrates the impact of volunteers who give their time to strengthen communities, improve wellbeing and preserve local places.
Friends of Jersey Park, Briton Ferry
Jersey Park has long been a green heart of Briton Ferry, and the Friends group has worked tirelessly to keep it that way. Volunteers organise events, raise funds, and involve residents in improving the park’s environment. Their efforts promote health and wellbeing through open‑air activities, while also building a stronger sense of community.
The recognition has been warmly welcomed locally. Trustee Gareth Rice said:
“As a trustee of The Friends of Jersey Park, I am incredibly proud to share this news. Our volunteer group has been honoured with an award from His Majesty King Charles III — one of only 231 awards across the entire United Kingdom in 2025.
“This distinction is equivalent to an MBE, placing our local volunteers among the nation’s most outstanding community champions. It is proof that when a community comes together, it can achieve something truly remarkable.”
Fellow Trustee, John Beck added:
“The Friends of Jersey Park are honoured to receive this award from King Charles. Some 231 awards were made across the whole of the United Kingdom for 2025. This award is equivalent to an MBE, and we are very proud to receive it.”
Noddfa Community Centre, Glyncorrwg
Noddfa has been serving Glyncorrwg since 1976, run day‑to‑day by a volunteer executive committee. The centre is a hub for social wellbeing, offering room hire for community activities, a nursery school, and even a community church. It hosts initiatives like Codi’r To, a regeneration project through music, and provides space for programmes such as Gwaith Gwynedd, which helps people into work.
Volunteers at Noddfa Community Centre said the award was a proud moment for the whole community:
“We’re absolutely thrilled to share some amazing news! Noddfa Community Centre has been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service — the highest honour a local voluntary group can receive in the UK, and the equivalent of an MBE.
“This incredible recognition celebrates the outstanding dedication, compassion, and hard work of our volunteers who give their time, energy, and hearts to support our community.
“We want to say a huge thank you to every single one of our volunteers — you make everything we do possible. And a special thank you to Jennifer Morris who nominated us for this prestigious award — your support means the world to us! We’re so proud to be part of such a caring and committed community.”
National recognition
Minister for Civil Society Stephanie Peacock said the awards highlight the extraordinary contribution of volunteers:
“These awards celebrate the extraordinary volunteers who are the lifeblood of communities across Wales. Day in, day out, they give their time, energy and compassion to transform lives and strengthen the places we call home.”
KAVS Chair Sir Martyn Lewis CBE added:
“The King’s Award for Voluntary Service is the UK’s top award for groups of remarkable citizens transforming many aspects of life in their local communities. For over two decades these annual awards have shown the people of our country at their very best.”
Looking ahead
Nominations for the 2026 King’s Award for Voluntary Service are now open, with applications closing on 1 December 2025. Any group of three or more volunteers, active for at least three years, can be put forward.
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