LONDON - A BAPS Children’s Forum of the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden here has been conferred this year’s prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for Greater London, Sir David Brewer, and the Deputy Lieutenant Mei Sim Lai visited the temple and presented the award to Doctor Swami, the trustees and the National coordinators of the (Bopasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminaryan (BAPS) Children’s Forum.

The Award is equivalent to the MBE and sets the national benchmark for excellence in volunteering and activities of those awarded have been judged at the highest standard.

The Forum is one of only two groups in Greater London which has been conferred this year’s Award.

Lord Lieutenant Brewer said the Forum deserved the honor for its “exceptional community work of integrating value-based educational, social, environmental and recreation activities into one cohesive program successfully implemented through hundreds of dedicated volunteers.”

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service was created by her Majesty to mark the Golden Jubilee in 2002.                             (PTI)