On Mon 17 March, Pontefract Civic Society received the King’s Award for Voluntary Service – the equivalent of an MBE for voluntary organisations, which was announced in the Gazette on 14 Nov 2024.
The crystal award and certificate, which was personally signed by His Majesty, King Charles III was presented by the Lord-Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, Ed Anderson, in front of over 40 VIPs and members ahead of a splendid lunch at Pontefract & District Golf Club.
Guests included The Mayor of Wakefield, Cllr Darren Byford, Claire Sutherley DL, Sqn Ldr David Dinmore MBE DL RAF (Rtd), Dwain Longley, and supportive former ward councillors David Jones and Lorna Malkin.
In receiving the award, chairman, Paul Cartwright said “This award was the greatest achievement in the civic society’s 56-year history, and a significant achievement in my personal civic service”.
In making the presentation, the Lord-Lieutenant said he had personally added to the nomination that “this is no ordinary civic society”.