A CHARITY in Cornwall empowering young people living with disabilities has been honoured with the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the equivalent of an MBE for volunteer groups.

Active8 says it is overjoyed to receive the award which recognises outstanding work by local volunteer groups to support their communities.

The award was created in 2002 to celebrate the late Queen’s Golden Jubilee and was continued following the accession of Charles III with recipients being announced annually on November 14, his birthday.

Active8, based at Victoria, near Roche, is this year celebrating 35 years of empowering young people with disabilities to live life to the full.

Founded in 1990, the organisation has helped hundreds of young people through various programmes, activities, experiences, peer mentoring and support.

Chief executive John Sweeting, who first joined Active8 as a volunteer more than 15 years ago, said: “We are absolutely ecstatic – literally pinching ourselves – to have received this prestigious award. To gain royal recognition for our work supporting young people with disabilities means everything to us.

“It is a total testament to the drive and dedication of our team, whose energy, empathy, unwavering commitment and passion have helped transform countless vulnerable young lives across the South West, enabling them to live without limits and build futures they once thought impossible.”

Volunteer chairman Mark Stevens said: “The fact we have been honoured with this exceptional award, just as we are celebrating 35 years of service and reflection, makes it even more profound.

“This really is such a poignant and deserving moment for Active8, and for all our volunteers over the years who have dedicated so much of themselves to this life-changing youth disability project.”

Representatives of Active8 will receive the award crystal and certificate from Colonel Sir Edward Bolitho, the Lord-Lieutenant of Cornwall, in the coming months. Two volunteers from the charity will also attend a royal garden party at Buckingham Palace next year, along with other recipients of this year’s award.

Paralympian Stephanie Millward, who recently participated in Active8’s “35km for 35 Years” Walk, Wheel and Roll Challenge, was overjoyed to hear the news of the award.

She said: “Such an incredible charity! I wish I had known about them when I first got sick all those years ago, as it would have made such a difference to me then. I couldn’t be happier to see them receive this outstanding award, which recognises their unwavering dedication to a cause that’s so close to my heart.”

This year there are 232 recipients of the King’s Award for Voluntary Service from across the UK and Channel Islands. The award winners include a group of dog walkers clearing up their local area, a team providing flying experiences for people with disabilities, an organisation supporting veterans and their families, and enthusiasts running a museum and non-profit railway.

Nominations for the 2026 award opened on September 1. For further information on the recipients and the award, plus details on how to nominate, visit kavs.dcms.gov.uk

For more information on Active8, see www.active8online.org