Cockermouth Emergency Response Group (CERG) is one of 244 organisations who have been awarded the Queens Award for Voluntary Service this year. This is the equivalent of an MBE for volunteer groups. We are delighted to have received this recognition of all our hard work and dedication, especially this being the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Year. The award was originally founded in 2002 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee.
From a small group of volunteers formed to help with flooding in 2016, we have grown to over 300 volunteers, who have given of their time tirelessly with a professional attitude throughout the Covid 19 pandemic and the recovery period afterwards. These demands on our time, have meant we have had to be innovative in responding to other crises in our community. We have had to be resourceful and flexible, providing an immediate response to requests for help. We have not forgotten our original purpose, shown by our work in October 2021. The selection process for the Award was vigorous, meaning that every aspect of our operations had to be scrutinised and pass muster.
The Board is absolutely delighted with having received this honour and recognition of everyone’s hard work. We are proud to serve Cockermouth, and continue to work in the background to improve and maintain a safer community.
Our Chair, Brian Mitchelhill, one of the original founders of CERG says “This is a wonderful accolade for the work our volunteers have done over the years – and continue to do to ensure our gem town is as resilient as possible during any crisis. It is richly deserved, and I am extremely proud to be associated with such a brilliant group of volunteers.” #QAVS2022 #QueensAward2022
