King honours St Joseph's Players
St Joseph's Players are celebrating a remarkable royal seal of approval after being awarded the prestigious King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
The Leigh-based dramatics society has just been announced as a recipient of the King’s 2025 award.
The accolade is an extraordinary show of support from the monarch for all the work the Players have done promoting performing arts in the Leigh area.
And now proud society members will soon be heading to Buckingham Palace to mark their success.
A King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAV) is the highest honour a UK voluntary group can receive and is the equivalent of an MBE.
Just 231 organisations across the entire country are set to receive the 2025 prize.
A spokesperson for KAV said, “The King’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups to support their communities.
“St Joseph’s Players’ work reminds us of all the ways fantastic volunteers are contributing to their local area and working to make life better for those around them.”
The award was originally created in 2002 to celebrate Her Late Majesty The Queen’s Golden Jubilee and was continued following the accession of His Majesty The King.
This year marks only the third occasion the King has selected his favoured recipients, with the winners revealed to coincide with his birthday on 14th November.
St Joseph’s Players will receive an award crystal and certificate to commemorate the achievement, and society representatives will be invited to a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in summer.
St Joseph’s chairperson, Gabrielle Fitzsimons, said, “We are absolutely thrilled and honoured to receive the King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
“It is an incredible testament to everyone in the society who gives up their time so generously to promote arts in our town.
“We have been working tirelessly to save St Joseph’s Hall from closure and this recognition from King Charles makes all those efforts worthwhile.”