The River Thames Boat Project has been honoured with The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.

The Teddington-based charity aims to provide access to the water through two wheelchair accessible community boats the Thames Venturer and Thames Discoverer.

The 70-strong volunteer team runs therapeutic cruises for people with disabilities and the elderly, as well as environmental education days for children between Teddington and Windsor.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups to benefit their local communities.

The award was created in 2002 to celebrate The Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Recipients are announced each year on 2nd June, the anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation.

River Thames Boat Project is one of 241 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive this prestigious award this year

Representatives of River Thames Boat Project will receive the award from Gillian Norton OBE DL, Representative Deputy Lieutenant for the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.

Two volunteers from River Thames Boat Project will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2022 along with other recipients of this year’s Award.

Jon Chapman, Chair of Trustees of River Thames Boat Project says: “We are truly delighted that River Thames Boat Project’s work in the local community has been recognised with such a prestigious award. Special time on the river on our boats Thames Venturer and Thames Discoverer will be even more appreciated and valuable this year after all that has happened in the past year or so.

“Our volunteers are a fantastic and highly dedicated group who carry out numerous roles for us, including skippering the boats, crewing, environmental education, boat maintenance, helping in the office, client development, fundraising and helping at events. The work that we do would simply not be possible without these devoted, energetic and warm-hearted individuals.”