OSWESTRY’S tourist group has been bestowed the highest honour in the country after it was given The King’s Award for Voluntary Service.

The award is the equivalent of an MBE for an individual and has been given to Oswestry Borderland Tourism, which is better known as Visit Oswestry.

The group has been working with volunteers to promote Oswestry and the Borderlands as a great place to visit for more than 40 years.

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The town’s Tourist Information Centre, which is now based at the Indoor Market, is run by Visit Oswestry, which also created the Oswestry Tourism Ambassador Scheme, prints more than 50,000 free town maps and creates VisitOswestry.co.uk and social media @OswestryTourism.

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Chairman, Lee Lucks said: “I am so thrilled that our group’s work has been recognised with the King's Award for Voluntary Service.

“Many people will be surprised that Oswestry Borderland Tourism is a volunteer led organisation.

“All the board directors are volunteers, and we also have an enthusiastic group of volunteers who take the popular guided walks around Oswestry and help out in the Tourist Information Centre.”

Vice chairman, Graham Mitchell, added:” We believe that we are the only tourism organisation to be recognised with the award.

“We are delighted that the work we do to bring new visitors and support local businesses has been recognised.

“Oswestry is such a great place to visit and our aim is to bring a wealth of new and returning visitors in years to come.”

Oswestry Borderland Tourism is one of only 281 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award in 2024.

Its work, along with others from across the UK, is an example of all the ways fantastic volunteers are contributing to their communities and working to make life better for those around them.

The King’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups to support their communities.

It was created in 2002 to celebrate Her Majesty The late Queen’s Golden Jubilee and, was continued following the accession of His Majesty The King, and 2024 marks the second year of The King’s Award for Voluntary Service.

A spokesman for the scheme added: “Award winners this year are wonderfully diverse and include volunteer groups from across the UK, such as a mental health and wellbeing support network for veterans and their families in Yorkshire.

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“A group preserving a historic 12th century castle in South Wales; volunteers providing English lessons for refugees in Stirling and an organisation providing a opportunities to engage in the arts for people with learning disabilities in County Fermanagh.”

Representatives of Oswestry Borderland Tourism will receive the award crystal and certificate from Anna Turner, Lord-Lieutenant of Shropshire.

In addition, two volunteers from Oswestry Borderland Tourism will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May or June 2025, along with other recipients of this year’s Award.