PCrefurb volunteers have been awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.
Press release – 2nd June 2022
PCrefurb aims to “bridge the digital divide” by refurbishing donated IT equipment and redistributing it to those most in need. At its core is a group of volunteers, many of whom face complex challenges in their lives, who work as a team refurbishing the donated IT equipment. That equipment is then delivered by volunteer drivers.
In collaboration with the NHS and key community partners, PCrefurb also runs a Digital Wellbeing Project in which volunteer ‘Digital Champions’ help people develop their skills and confidence in using IT devices.
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups to benefit their communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate The Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Recipients are announced each year on 2nd June, the anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation.
PCrefurb is one of 244 local charities, social enterprises, and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. Their work reminds us of all the ways in which dedicated volunteers are contributing to their local communities and working to make life better for those around them.
Six representatives of PCrefurb will receive the award crystal and certificate from Elizabeth Fothergill CBE, Lord-Lieutenant of Derbyshire later this summer.
In addition, two volunteers from PCrefurb will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2023, along with other recipients of this year’s Award.
Helen Melhuish, Chief Officer of PCrefurb, told us “I am absolutely thrilled that our volunteers’ contribution has been recognised in this way. We have 40 volunteers without whom we simply couldn’t provide this amazing service in our community. In particular, I would like to pay tribute to those volunteers who continued to support the work of PCrefurb at the very start of the pandemic. They refurbished devices from their homes so that we could help those in desperate need of IT equipment. We will be holding a celebration event later this month for all our volunteers to show our immense pride and gratitude for what they have achieved.”