In our 60th anniversary year, Sutton Vision has received Royal recognition with the news that we have been awarded the King’s Award for Voluntary Service. This award, often called the MBE for voluntary service, was granted in recognition of the amazing service that our volunteers deliver for visually impaired people in our community. The award will be presented to the charity by the Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey, followed by attendees from two representatives at a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in Summer 2026.
With a tiny staff team, we could not possibly deliver our services without the almost 50 volunteers who do everything from providing assistive technology support, delivering 121 braille tutoring, running an array of wellness and social activities, giving strategic direction and, equally valuably, making endless cups of tea that help provide a real social connection at our informal get togethers.
Many of our volunteers are, themselves, visually impaired and so fully understand the impact that sight loss can have on individuals, their careers and their families. That they then chose to give their time to supporting people with sight loss is the kind of everyday heroism that fuels voluntary organisations across the country.
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service is a real recognition of the power of volunteerism and the impact that volunteers have on their communities. At Sutton Vision it feels particularly special that we were nominated by one of our own clients, who recognised the contribution that he saw our volunteers make on a daily basis. Our nomination was formally assessed and then given the seal of approval by the King himself, with us in an exclusive group of 231 voluntary organisations across the country.
Barbara Jones, Sutton Vision volunteer, tells us: “Volunteering is rewarding, interesting and has made a positive impact on my life and the support of the staff team at Sutton Vision has made my volunteering most enjoyable and worthwhile”.
Adrian Andrews, another volunteer says: “I really enjoy feeling part of a team of volunteers at Sutton Vision. We are a very mixed group and a lot of what we do is done individually, but when we get together it is always interesting and fun comparing experiences through our volunteering roles.
Sherine Krause, Sutton Vision’s Chief Executive, comments: “I couldn‘t be more delighted to see our amazing volunteers recognised in this way. Sutton Vision provides a vital resource for people with sight loss in Sutton and we absolutely couldn’t do it without the huge amount of time and energy dedicated by almost 50 volunteers, many of whom have visual impairments themselves. As award recipients you’ll see us proudly using the exclusive royal emblem on our website, our stationery and our communications, marking the contribution of an amazing group of people working together to improve the lives of visually impaired people in our community.”
Michael Parsons, Sutton Vision’s Chair told us: “We are deeply honoured to receive The King’s Award for Voluntary Service in our 60th anniversary year. This recognition is a tribute to the dedication and compassion of our volunteers, who make a real difference every day to people living with sight loss in Sutton. Their commitment ensures that no one faces the challenges of visual impairment alone, and we are proud to celebrate this achievement together.”
