Lincolnshire volunteer wins Queen's Platinum champion award

Congratulations go to Lynette Pryke who founded the Alford hub

Alford
Author: PA Published 3rd Jun 2022

A Lincolnshire volunteer has received royal jubilee recognition for their community services during the pandemic.

Lynnette Pryke founded Alford Hub in March 2020, creating a COVID 19 Community Hub and Mutual Aid for local residents.

She has been awarded a Queen's Platinum Champion Award for this service and for her previous 33 years of volunteering.

Lynette was selected as a Platinum Champion from over 200 people who were nominated in the East Midlands area for their dedication to volunteering.

Nationally, she joins a line-up of 490 volunteers.

Lynnette blew judges away with her selflessness, setting up and running the Alford Hub – despite being part of the critical shielding group and currently suffering from long COVID – to offer community services in her local area.

To date, the Alford Hub has 142 volunteers and has carried out an incredible 50,000 tasks from prescription delivery to running a virtual community centre.

The Platinum Champions Awards were initiated by national charity, Royal Voluntary Service and its President, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, in honour of Her Majesty The Queen and the example she has set in 70 years of service.

Together in partnership with The Big Jubilee Lunch, who are also supported by the patronage of HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, the awards celebrate extraordinary volunteers across the UK who are making a difference every day.

We spoke to Lynette after she found out about the award.

I'm truly honoured to be recognised as a Platinum Champion for my 33 years of service to volunteering.

Founding the Alford Hub which offers community services to those most in need has been one of the highlights of my service.

"I'm accepting this award with gratitude and extending it to all the 142 volunteers who have given their time to the Alford Hub.

Without them, none of this would be possible."