The Bread and Butter Thing receives the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service

The Bread and Butter Thing, with its dedicated teams of volunteers in Greater Manchester and Darlington, has been awarded the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK - the equivalent of an MBE. 

TBBT is one of the country's leading food redistribution charities, making food affordable for people on low incomes by redistributing surplus from supermarkets and manufacturers. It has more than 8000 members across Greater Manchester and Darlington and is currently working at the forefront of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic supporting projects from Lancaster to Teesside. TBBT's volunteers are at the heart of its operation, sustaining its work in over 30 locations as well as its central warehouse. Together they are the heartbeat that keeps TBBT thriving. 

TBBT is one of 230 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. The number of nominations remains high year on year, showing that the voluntary sector is thriving and full of innovative ideas to make life better for those around them. 

Mark Game, CEO TBBT said: "Receiving the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service is the perfect celebration and recognition that our volunteers are fundamental to the TBBT operation. We simply wouldn't exist without them. Over 160 individuals volunteer each week at our community hubs, and whilst many of our regular team are self-isolating in these complicated times, we have been bolstered by the volunteer forces of furloughed staff from local businesses, housing associations, schools, students, teachers, parents, friends and family. It's a true team effort. TBBT prides itself in uniting its local communities and this award is a real reflection of the esteem and gratitude we have for our volunteer teams." 

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups to benefit their local 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. Award winners this year are wonderfully diverse. They include volunteer groups from across the UK, including a community shop in Cornwall, an environmental group in Swansea, a group working with refugees and vulnerable people in Stirling and a thriving community arts centre in County Down. 

Representatives of The Bread and Butter Thing will receive the award from Sir Warren Smith KCVO KStJ JP, Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester later this summer. Furthermore two volunteers from TBBT will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2021, along with other recipients of this year’s Award. 

More information on all the recipients and the Award can be found at https://www.gov.uk/queens-award-for-voluntary-service