We are delighted to announce that we have been given the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. Caring For Life is amongst 92 charities to be given the award this year, and six charities in Yorkshire have been rewarded, with Caring For Life being the only one in Leeds. This award is now in its third year. The Award was created to mark the occasion of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Over 300 groups have won the Award to date. We will be receiving a certificate signed by the Queen and a commemorative piece of crystal.

“Unsung Heroes”, is the title for this year’s award. Paul Goggins, Minister for the Voluntary and Community Sector, said: “Volunteers are the lifeblood of our communities so I’m delighted that we can recognise their efforts through this award for community support. Groups like Caring For Life are a vital resource who make a huge difference to the everyday lives of so many people.”

If you read the article “Life without Literacy” back in February, you will have read about the literacy scheme kindly run by retired professional volunteers and you will understand something of the impact they have made on the people we care for. These are just 10 of over 80 regular volunteers who enable the work of Caring For Life to support so many homeless and vulnerable people. We hope that all those who so generously donate their time to CFL realise how important they are in supporting so many people from the city of Leeds and beyond.

As Open Day on 18th June will demonstrate, volunteers are invaluable to the work of Caring For Life. By contributing maybe just a few hours of time, they are able to make a huge impact, supporting staff and assisting in the care of the people we care for. This award clearly demonstrates their importance to the charity.

Peter Parkinson, CEO of Caring For Life said, “It is a tremendous honour for everyone involved with Caring For Life to receive the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, in recognition of the work of our Trust. As a Christian charity, we rely heavily on Christian supporters and churches, who support our work month by month, and whilst we have a superb team of committed part-time and full-time staff, the enormous contribution made by our wonderful team of volunteers has resulted in our being given this Award.”

As a Christian Charity, the clear aim of Caring For Life is very simply to “Share the love of Jesus”. Through volunteering opportunities, we can extend our ministry to a far greater number of people than we would otherwise be able to help.

One of the hallmarks of Caring For Life’s ministry is our commitment to care for people for ‘life’, or for as long as they need or request our support, and to do so ‘unconditionally.’ This we believe is precisely what Christian care must be if it in any way approximates to the ‘love of Jesus’.

Many people have recognised this as being one of the crucial features which make Caring For Life’s ministry both unique and also so successful in offering genuinely compassionate, unconditional care “for life”, to those who literally have no one else to turn to.

If you would like to be part of this award winning team, click here to contact us.

Caring For Life has been recognised for being different by offering genuinely compassionate, unconditional care “for life”, to those who literally have no one else to turn to. If you would like to be part of this award winning team, please email us by going to the “contacting us” page.