Portsoy Community Enterprise receives The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service

 

Portsoy Community Enterprise, a community organisation based in Banffshire have been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK. 

 

Portsoy Community Enterprise is a social enterprise, driven by the enthusiasm and passion of the many volunteers who bring together an array of assets, events and offerings, which keep alive the ingrained heritage and cultures of the north east of Scotland.

 

From an intended one-off event to celebrate the 300th year of Portsoy’s harbour in 1993, the annual Scottish Traditional Boat Festival was born. In the years following, the organisation has also added to its portfolio The Salmon Bothy, The Boatshed, Portsoy Links Caravan Park and The Sail Loft.

 

PCE offers the opportunity for both the local community and visitors to Portsoy to take part in and experience real authentic cultural experiences, including traditional music programmes and traditional boat building courses and thereby support the tourism economy of the area and the wider north-east.

 

Working collaboratively, the whole organisation is aimed at providing economic benefit from tourism for the town of Portsoy and surrounding area, with all of PCE’s assets held on behalf of the community.

 

Portsoy Community Enterprise is one of 230 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. The number of nominations remains high year on year, showing that the voluntary sector is thriving and full of innovative ideas to make life better for those around them.

 

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups to benefit their local communities. It was created in 2002 and first awarded in 2003 to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee.  Recipients are announced each year on 2nd June, the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation. Award winners in the North-East and Highlands this year include:

• Aberdeen Street Pastors - seeking to listen, care and help around the streets, schools and shops of Aberdeen City Centre

• Gairloch Community Car Scheme - providing vital transport for remote communities

• Green Hive - supporting local people to turn their ideas for Nairnshire’s community and environment into reality.

• Moray Inshore Rescue Organisation (MIRO) - lifesaving in the Findhorn area

• Invercairn Gala Committee - enhancing the quality of life for all inhabitants in Cairnbulg and Inverallochy

• North-East Open Studios (NEOS) - opening doors to creativity in the North East of Scotland by forming a network of artists and makers

• Portsoy Community Enterprise (PCE) - promoting the area’s maritime and rural heritage to achieve social and economic regeneration

• Station House Media Unit (SHMU) - using media to strengthen communities and transform lives across North East Scotland

• WeToo - empowering families affected with predominantly hidden disabilities in North East Scotland