Church & Community Volunteers Awards
Nominate your volunteers for these awards
In partnership with Marsh Charitable Trust.
We know that behind every thriving church, chapel or meeting house is a team of passionate volunteers. Across the UK, these individuals take extraordinary care of their buildings – preserving their heritage, opening their doors to visitors, and creating spaces that serve and strengthen communities.
The essential role of volunteers in conservation and maintenance often goes unseen. Opening your doors may seem like a small act, but it sends a powerful message: this place is for everyone. But churches are much more than historic sites. From foodbanks to warm hubs, community cafés to support groups, they are lifelines for many, offering vital services and bringing people together. We’ve long seen how churches can foster resilience, connection and hope.
These awards celebrate the volunteers who make all this possible. They highlight how community use and care go hand in hand. How events and activities can build momentum for repair projects, and how well-maintained buildings, in turn, create space for even more to happen. By recognising this work, we aim to honour the human stories at the heart of every church’s past, present and future.
These awards celebrate the amazing efforts of volunteers who help churches thrive in three ways:
- by caring for and conserving the fabric of the building
- by using the space to serve local communities through events, services, and support
- by opening their doors and sharing their stories with visitors.
Whether you’re offering a warm welcome, maintaining historic spaces, or turning your building into a hub of local activity, we want to hear about the difference you’re making.
Volunteers from any church, chapel or meeting house can be nominated for these awards. We want to celebrate the geographic spread of the great work that exists in caring for churches across the UK.
You just need to be able to tell us about the people involved, the fantastic things you do and the difference that it makes. Your nomination will be reviewed by an expert panel.
What is the prize?
There will be four winners chosen for this award – one from each UK nation. Each winner will receive £750.
How do I submit a nomination?
Deadline for submissions is Thursday 31 July (midnight).
Click here to download the guidelines and questions for this award.
We recommend that you prepare your nomination in a separate document before copying and pasting it into the online form. This will help you to make best use of the character limits for each question, whilst ensuring you tell us everything you want us to know. You will be able to amend your nomination up until the closing date.
Once you have submitted your form you will need to email at least 5 images.
- If possible, please rename them with the name of your church; this will help us to match them to your entry
- Please include photos of your team at work, or of the activities that your good work enables
- You can also send a link to a film, if you have one
- Please email them to sarah.crossland@nationalchurchestrust.org
Previous winners
Working with partners across the sector we celebrate churches and the people who care for them through a range of award schemes. Here are some previous winners from similar categories in those awards.
AndySillett