Duke’s top community award

The SCCCC was awarded the Community Initiative Award - given to those charities that prove invaluable to their communities, are excellently run and considered a true inspiration to others. The SCCCC was one of a number of Yorkshire charities that attended the recent celebration, at the Infantry Training Centre, Vimy Lines Catterick Garrison, to personally collect their award from the Duke.

Prince Andrew started the initiative 21 years ago when he felt that charities were not rewarded enough for their work in their communities.

The Duke of York said: “Some years ago I visited a housing estate in York, and saw what a real difference could be achieved by the community working together, identifying their own needs, and deciding for themselves the actions needed.

“Today the Community Initiative which bears my name is a great success story, with over 400 first class community schemes in Yorkshire having received my award. They have been encouraged to act as mentors and examples of best practice to other communities, spreading far and wide the message that often the remedy for shortcomings can be generated at community level.”

The benefits of receiving the award include royal recognition of excellence, the use of the royal logo, business management support through workshops, mentoring and networking, and access to an in-house funding stream.

Mark Storey, CEO of SCCCC, said: “We are delighted to have received royal recognition for the incredible work our volunteers, staff and trustees do to support our local communities. It was a real honour to have met HRH The Duke of York in person. To be part of the initiative means that we are recognised as an inspiration to others, which for us being a small charity, is high praise indeed.”