THE Ilkley-based Nell Bank Charitable Trust has been honoured with the King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS).
The prestigious award celebrates the outstanding work of local volunteer groups across the UK. Equivalent to an MBE, it is the highest honour given to local voluntary groups in the country and it is awarded for life.
Created in 1977 by the then Lord Mayor of Bradford Paul Hockney, to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee, Nell Bank provides day and residential outdoor learning experiences for children and young people from across Bradford and the Yorkshire region, consciously supporting children from less privileged backgrounds and those with special educational needs and disabilities.
Adam Clark, volunteer Chair of the Nell Bank Charitable Trust said today: “This is tremendous news and a resounding endorsement of everything we do at Nell Bank and the selfless and dedicated work of all our wonderful volunteers and staff. As a team, we are overwhelmed and so very proud.
“There is a lovely royal thread to this story as the centre at Nell Bank was originally set up in 1977 as a Queen’s Silver Jubilee project to provide outdoor curriculum-based learning opportunities through adventure and to develop a respect for the natural world. The culture and objectives of the centre have remained the same since its inception and our ethos is now as strong as ever.
“We exist solely to provide amazing opportunities for all children through outdoor learning, adventure and play. It is our passion. For many children, especially of primary school age who live in cities like Leeds and Bradford, this is the first time they may have seen and enjoyed the countryside. It is inspiring to see the effect this has on both their physical and mental wellbeing.
“It is important to stress that our volunteers are the unsung heroes of Nell Bank. When there were fears about the future of the centre, the trustees stepped in to develop a plan to form a fully independent and sustainable charity. Thanks to them we have a flourishing centre, which consistently achieves those charitable aims which were originally set out in 1977. It is humbling to see their hard work recognised with this wonderful royal honour.”
Adam added: “Our mission is to inspire children to fall in love with the outdoors and we run programmes to help children understand how to protect the environment. We work closely with local naturalists to protect the environment and teach children about the importance of sustainability.
“Over 24,000 children have visited visit Nell Bank this year, with an average of 10 schools and over 500 children on site every week. We have 15 curriculum based outdoor learning programmes, we run six specialist events each year for families with disabled children to allow them to spend time safely in the outdoors.
“We now have 200 corporate volunteer days a year supporting us across the site and in the running of our events. We are incredibly grateful to all our generous corporate supporters.”
The Nell Bank Centre is situated just on the edge of Ilkley in 25 acres of enclosed green space and has a range of fantastic modern facilities which include a specialist unit to support groups with special educational needs and disabilities.
The newly constructed Paul Hockney Room for Early Years visits creates a haven for nursery and reception aged children. It doubles as a space for children and young people with special education needs, adult training and as a small group meeting space. It is set in a small woodland and overlooks a large pond with a cleverly positioned bird-watching window for children and adults to enjoy passing wildlife.
Adam said: “Nell Bank feels remote and rural but it is still very accessible. We have so many activity areas, every corner of the site has something exciting to discover. Receiving this award will provide us with a superb springboard from which to realise our plans to make the centre sustainable for the future by attracting future volunteers, funders and potential trustees to support our work.”
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