Charity, Ferndown | Posted on June 15th, 2026 | return to news

Ferndown charity presented with award from the King

Ferndown Community Support was presented with the King’s Award for Voluntary Service on Thursday 11 June.

A Ferndown-based community group that provides a range of services, including a food bank, shopping support and befriending, has received royal recognition for its good work and impact.

The King’s Award for Voluntary Service is a highly prestigious award and is considered the equivalent of an MBE for volunteer organisations.

Ferndown Community Support found out it was the recipient of a King’s Award in November 2025; however, it was not officially presented with the prize until June 2026.

His Majesty’s representative, the Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset, Michael Dooley, presented the award to Ferndown Community Support at a ceremony on Thursday 11 June. In attendance were several of the group’s volunteers and directors, as well as two Deputy Lieutenants of Dorset and the Chair of Dorset Council, Cllr Stella Jones.

Michael Dooley said: “The King’s Award is the highest honour given to voluntary groups across the United Kingdom. It is not given easily. You should be congratulated.

“Volunteering is not simply about giving time. It’s about giving hope. It’s about showing up, quietly and faithfully, for those who feel unheard and unseen.”

Dooley praised “the dignity, the warmth, the reassurance” that Ferndown Community Support gives to those in need.

Ferndown Community Support was set up by a local town councillor, Hannah Hobbs-Chell, in 2020 during the pandemic lockdown to support the most isolated and vulnerable in Ferndown’s community. It is a fully volunteer-run organisation, and the services it offers have grown over time. As well as the food bank, it has a pet bank providing toys and equipment for animals, a hygiene bank with toothbrushes, clean clothes and sanitary items, and a medicine bank giving over-the-counter medication to those in need.

After being presented with the award, Cllr Hobbs-Chell gave a heartfelt message to the volunteers in attendance: “Look at what you have created, because you have created a difference. You have saved people’s lives. You have transformed people’s lives. You have made people feel wanted and appreciated and not scared and lonely anymore.”

Following the presentation, Cllr Hobbs-Chell gave Dooley and the other dignitaries a tour of Ferndown Community Support’s various food banks, while volunteers and invited guests enjoyed a buffet, cake and drinks while networking.

To learn more about Ferndown Community Support, visit https://ferndowncommunitysupport.org.uk.