Presentation of the King’s Award Crystal

On Thursday 13 March 2025 the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Johanna Ropner, came to Newby & Scalby Community Library to present the volunteers with the King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS) crystal and certificate signed by King Charles III.  She was accompanied by Deputy Lord Lieutenants Venetia Wrigley and Captain Stephen Upright and other guests included Alison Hume, MP for Scarborough and Whitby, Cllr Subash Sharma (Newby Ward) and Hazel Smith, Head of North Yorkshire Libraries.

Over 45 volunteers, Patrons and Friends of the Library heard Johanna Ropner congratulate the volunteers on being one of only 281 charities in the UK to have won what is the equivalent of the MBE for voluntary groups in 2024.  She said the award was created in 2002 by Queen Elizabeth II to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups to support their communities.  Isobel Nixon, Chairman of the Library’s Trustees, also paid tribute to the volunteers’ commitment and thanked customer and local businesswoman Sue Tipple for nominating the library and customer and teacher Janet Jenkins for seconding the nomination.  She also acknowledged the tremendous help and encouragement given by North Yorkshire Libraries’ staff  from April 2017 to the present day.  Most were present at the occasion, including Chrys Mellor, former Head of Libraries, together with Heather French, Lee Taylor, Nicola Dengate and Angela Kale.

Isobel cut a celebration cake, which bore the KAVS logo and the volunteers and guests enjoyed  the refreshments together.