‘An incredible honour’: Royal recognition for voluntary community group in Clay Country

THE highest honour that can be given to local voluntary groups in the UK has been awarded to a community organisation based in the Clay Country. 

The Bugle Library of Things (BLOT) has been picked to receive The King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the equivalent of an MBE that would be given to an individual. 

BLOT, which has the tagline of Bringing Lives and Opportunities Together, began in the village of Bugle and has grown to support people across Cornwall. 

The award recognises the outstanding contribution made by the group’s volunteers, whose time, commitment and local knowledge have helped turn a grassroots community project into an organisation that has supported more than 1,600 people over the last 12 months. 

At its community hub in Bugle, the group provides a welcoming space where people can access food and everyday essentials, digital and practical support, community activities, and help with navigating services. Working alongside local partners, the organisation connects people with the advice, resources and opportunities they need, while helping tackle poverty, isolation and barriers to accessing support. 

Increasingly, this support is being taken directly to communities through the BLOT mobile hub van which enables the group and partner organisations to reach people in places where poor transport links, isolation and a lack of local services can otherwise make support difficult to access. 

In the last year, BLOT volunteers have contributed more than 2,600 hours to their communities. The organisation now opens its Bugle hub around 200 days each year and delivers around 150 mobile hub sessions annually. Meanwhile, the group has distributed the equivalent of more than 107,000 meals since 2020. 

The King’s Award for Voluntary Service comes at an important point in BLOT’s development. While remaining firmly rooted in Bugle and the Clay Country, the organisation is strengthening its partnerships and expanding its mobile hub programme. 

Founder and co-chief executive Jo Rusbridge said: “This award belongs to our volunteers. BLOT exists because local people saw things that needed to change and decided to do something about them. What started in Bugle has grown enormously, but that same community spirit still sits at the heart of everything we do. 

“Our volunteers have given thousands of hours, whether that has meant collecting and sorting food, keeping our hub running, supporting people who walk through the door, helping at community events or taking our services out on the road. They have helped us build something that people know they can turn to and trust. 

“The King’s Award is an incredible honour, but for us it is also encouragement to keep going. We have ambitious plans for the years ahead – reaching more communities, creating stronger partnerships and making it easier for people to access practical support and opportunities close to home.”

Jo paid tribute to one of the group’s longest-standing supporters, Susan Birchall, who passed away earlier this year. Jo said: “Susan was part of the story that brought us here, and it feels right that we remember her as we celebrate this recognition.”