The Graham Fulford Charitable Trust, a group of volunteers based in Warwick have just been awarded The King’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.

GFCT was set up by Graham Fulford to promote awareness of prostate cancer and encourage early diagnosis. Since 2004, the charity has been involved in testing over 252,682 people and has so far identified 2,500 known cancers that might otherwise not have been discovered.

GFCT is one of 262 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. Their work, along with others from across the UK, reminds us of all the ways fantastic volunteers are contributing to their local communities and working to make life better for those around them.

The King’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 Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee and, following his accession, His Majesty The King emphasised his desire to continue the Award.

Recipients are announced annually on 14th November, The King’s Birthday. Award winners this year are wonderfully diverse and include volunteer groups from across the UK, such as a social support network for disabled adults in Banffshire; a charity using a refurbished pool as a community hub in south Wales; volunteer doctors providing pre-hospital care across rural Cumbria and a village renewal organisation promoting sustainability, equality and social inclusion in County Antrim.

Representatives of GFCT will receive the award crystal and certificate from Tim Cox, Lord-Lieutenant of Warwickshire later this summer. In addition, two volunteers from GFCT will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May or June 2024, along with other recipients of this year’s Award.

Graham Fulford, Founder of the Graham Fulford Charitable Trust, said: "We are delighted to receive this very prestigious award on behalf of the hundreds of volunteers who have worked tirelessly for the charity over the past 19 years, giving men in Warwickshire the opportunity to find out more about their prostate and general health."

For more information about KAVS and GFCT charity, please visit: https://gfct.mypsatests.org.uk/Charity/

ENDS

Notes to editors

• Lord-Lieutenants represent the monarch in each of the UK’s ceremonial counties.
• This year there are 262 recipients of The King’s Award Voluntary Service from across the UK and Channel Islands.
• More information on the recipients and the Award can be found at https://kavs.dcms.gov.uk/
• Full details on how to nominate are available at https://kavs.dcms.gov.uk/
• Nominations for the 2025 awards will open on the 1st June 2024.