Reading mental health charity receives national honour

No5 youth counselling has been awarded the The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.

Author: Jonathan RichardsPublished 1st Jun 2021

A mental health service for young people in Reading has received The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.

No5 provide free, confidential mental health support, counselling and preventative outreach for young people aged 11-25 who live, work or study in the RG postcode area.

The charity say demand for their services has never been higher – 456 young people and their families have asked for help in the last 6 months alone.

No5 is one of 241 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year.

No:5 youth is also celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Alyson Wylding, No5’s Director, said:

“We are so honoured to receive the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. I am delighted that the hard work and dedication of our volunteer counsellors and Young Ambassadors has been recognised in this way. Their commitment to support local young people, especially during the extremely challenging circumstances we have all faced during the pandemic, has been astounding. Without them, we would not have been able to support thousands of young people in Reading over the last 50 years.”

Representatives of No5 will receive the award crystal and certificate from Mr James Puxley, Lord-Lieutenant of Berkshire later this summer. Furthermore two representatives from No5 will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2022.

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.