Archive Website of the UK government

Nominating a group for the Diamond Jubilee award

You can nominate any national organisation which involves volunteers, as well as organisations which have been and will continue to work with volunteers as part of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

You can nominate an organisation that you are a part of, for example if you are a volunteer or a member of staff.

If you need help using the online nomination system, contact 020 7271 6206.

Conditions to receive the award

The award is open for nomination by two types of organisation:

• any national voluntary sector organisation or charity that involves volunteers in projects that cover the whole of one or more of the four nations that make up the United Kingdom, or
• any organisation which has been involved with the engagement of volunteers or volunteering activities since the announcement of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and intends to continue to operate as a legacy of London 2012 to promote volunteering

The organisation must have been running for three years or more. The organisation must involve a minimum number of 25 volunteers in their activities; this is in addition to volunteer Trustees and Committee members.

• Download eligibility information for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Volunteering Award 2012 (PDF, 80K) Opens new window

When you can nominate a group

Nominations close on 16 October 2012.

Confidentiality of the award

Details of the nominations for The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Volunteering Award will be restricted to the Award administrators and the Award Committee scrutiny panel.

Winning organisations will be notified prior to the official announcement date in late 2012. This information will be embargoed and all recipient organisations will have to agree not to divulge this before the announcement from Buckingham Palace, or this could result in a withdrawal of the Award.

Assessing nominations for the award

Nominations will be assessed by an independent Award Committee comprising of members of the existing committee members of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service and other specialist assessors.

The Committee will include representatives from all four of the nations which make up the United Kingdom and will be published on the website in due course.

Winning the award

The Cabinet Office will send a recommended list of organisations to Her Majesty the Queen for her approval. An announcement will be made through a Press Notice, and a supplement of the London Gazette.

• The London Gazette Opens new window

Winners – what they receive

The Award is recognition by the Queen of the organisation’s involvement in volunteering in the UK. They also receive a certificate signed by Her Majesty and an official Queen’s Award Diamond Jubilee logo for use on their website and other promotional material. Representatives from the organisation may also be included in future celebratory events.

Winners can purchase a commemorative crystal, similar to that of the one The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service winning groups receive. They should contact the Award Administrator for further information on Award memorabilia.

• The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service Award Administrator

Managing the award

The Award is managed by the Office for Civil Society in The Cabinet Office.

More useful links

• Nominate a national group for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Opens new window

• Nominate a local group for the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service Opens new window

• How to volunteer (home and community section)

• Setting up a volunteer scheme at work (home and community section)