Thirsk and Sowerby Harriers have been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service for 2025 for promoting community participation in sport, improving fitness and health through coaching, competition and social inclusion. This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE. This is a credit to all the hard work of the committee, chaired by Trudy Morrice, coaches, including Head Coach Rob Burn, and all of the members – running sessions at the Sowerby Sports Village twice a week, organising several local races, including kids fun runs, donating to community organisations, running a very successful Beginners course, and volunteering at events and other races.
The Harriers are one of 231 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. This 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 support their communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate Her Late Majesty The Queen’s Golden Jubilee and was continued following the accession of His Majesty The King. 2025 marks the third year of The King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
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. The Harriers sit alongside other winners such as a group of dog walkers clearing up their local area in Kincardineshire; a group providing unique flying experiences for people with disabilities in Hampshire; a group providing support to veterans and their families across Welsh Valley communities; and a group running a museum and nonprofit railway In Belfast, preserving Northern Ireland's railway heritage.
Representatives of the Thirsk and Sowerby Harriers will receive the award crystal and certificate from Johanna Ropner, Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire in the coming months. In addition, two volunteers from the Harriers will attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in May and June 2026, along with other recipients of this year’s award.
Huge congratulations to the whole club – particularly Rob and Christine for keeping the secret and all the hard work behind the scenes on this!
