Local Heroes Receive Kings Award for Voluntary Service
- Fundraising Manager
- Nov 14, 2025
- 4 min read
BASICS Devon volunteers are honoured to receive the King’s Award for Voluntary Service. This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.
BASICS Devon is one of 231 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. Their 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, 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; a group running a museum and non-profit railway In Belfast, preserving Northern Ireland's railway heritage.
Representatives of BASICS Devon will receive the award crystal and certificate from David Fursdon, Lord-Lieutenant of Devon in the coming months. In addition, two volunteers from BASICS Devon will attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in May and June 2026, along with other recipients of this year’s award.
BASICS Devon has received the award as they show exceptional standards of volunteering, innovation, and impact giving their time to save lives, now and over the last 33 years since BASICS Devon was established!
Robert Horton Chair of BASICS Devon said -
“This recognition is a tremendous tribute to our dedicated team of volunteers who give their time and expertise to support patients and emergency services across Devon, often in the most challenging circumstances.
Every call-out represents a moment when someone in our community is facing their worst day, and our volunteers’ step forward, day and night to bring emergency care to the scene.
This award reflects not only their professionalism and selflessness, but also the invaluable support we receive from our families, partners in the emergency services, and our supporters and donors across Devon. Every penny raised goes towards our delivery of voluntary service.
On behalf of the Trustees, I want to thank everyone who plays a part in making our work possible”
BASICS Devon are specialist volunteers delivering emergency pre-hospital care and vital life-saving education. They support communities across Devon - 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Comprised of highly trained volunteer medics, BASICS Devon responds to some of the most serious medical emergencies supporting the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust. From road traffic collisions on rural lanes to cardiac arrests in remote villages, the charity’s clinicians bring immediate care directly to the scene — often arriving before an ambulance.
This year so far, the team has responded swiftly to 321 emergencies — 111 of them at night — covering more than 4,500 miles to save lives. They were first on scene in 40% of incidents, responding to 94 road traffic collisions, 68 cardiac arrests, 10 psychiatric crises, 7 obstetric emergencies, and 6 stabbings or shootings. Beyond that, they’ve answered 136 other desperate calls for help, from burns and drownings to urgent medical and trauma cases — each one a moment when every second counted.
Operating entirely through public donations and local fundraising, BASICS Devon receives no government funding. The charity is currently appealing for community support in their Big Give Christmas Challenge 2nd to 9th December where for 1 week only thanks to pledgers and Reed Foundation, all donations will be doubled! This campaign will help keep their emergency responders on the road, delivering immediate care and lifesaving equipment and education, especially in the most remote and vulnerable communities throughout Devon, where a hospital can be over an hour away.
To donate or learn more about BASICS Devon’s work, visit www.basics-devon.org.uk or follow @BASICSDevon on social media.
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Notes to editors
1. Lord-Lieutenants represent the monarch in each of the UK’s ceremonial counties.
2. This year there are 231 recipients of The King’s Award Voluntary Service from across the UK and Channel Islands.
3. More information on the recipients and the Award can be found at https://kavs.dcms.gov.uk/
4. Full details on how to nominate are available at https://kavs.dcms.gov.uk/ 5. Nominations for the 2026 award opened on the 1st September 2025.
About BASICS Devon
BASICS Devon is a network of 17 emergency volunteer medics providing immediate access to specialist medical care at the scene of an accident or illness and provide vital life-saving education. Making themselves available around the clock throughout the year, responding to incidents at the request of the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust. The charity relies solely on donations.
Please watch and share their short film at https://youtu.be/65gJTeoEGGg
Donate to keep BASICS Devon responding at https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/donate/basics-devon
Support by spreading the word or volunteering your time www.basics-devon.org.uk
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