The Friends group was initiated in February 2021, constituted in September 2021 and became a registered charity in July 2023. Whirlow Brook Park had fallen into disrepair due to council cuts and so the group decided to do something about it. They have worked tirelessly on a number of projects to improve facilities and planting in Whirlow Brook Park. These have included redesigning a sunken garden, replacing a children’s maze, repainting park benches, installing boardwalks, mulching muddy paths, installing bat and owl boxes, developing a family trail, and a separate tree trail, as well as the usual day to day gardening and planting. Their latest inspiring project is clearing an extremely overgrown area to create a community orchard. There are around 30 active volunteers ranging in age from 83 years to 30. The group also organises for students and corporate volunteers to work in the park, including our corporate sponsor Gripple Ltd, a local Sheffield company.
The Friends of Whirlow Brook Park 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 November 14, 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 the Friends of Whirlow Brook Park will receive the award crystal and certificate from Dame Hilary Chapman, Lord-Lieutenant of South Yorkshire, in the coming months. In addition, two volunteers from the Friends of Whirlow Brook Park will attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in May and June 2026, along with other recipients of this year’s award.
Shelagh Woolliscroft, Chair of the Friends group said: “We are absolutely thrilled and honoured to have been selected for the King’s Voluntary Service Award. It is a testament to the hard work of all our dedicated volunteers who are helping to restore this beautiful park for the benefit of the local community.”
1. Contributed
Volunteers planting a beech hedge by the newly installed fence Photo: Submitted
