Nottingham-based charity Forever Stars, which is dedicated to supporting bereaved families and raising awareness of baby loss, has been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service for 2025.
This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.
Forever Stars is the first Nottingham-based charity to have been awarded a King’s Award (formerly The Queen’s Award) since 2022.
It is one of 232 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups based across the UK to receive the prestigious award this year.
Founded by Richard Daniels and his wife Michelle in 2014, a few months after their daughter Emily was stillborn in December 2013, and run by a dedicated team made up entirely of volunteers, Forever Stars fundraises and campaigns to improve the bereavement care for parents, families and their loved ones across the East Midlands.
Over the last 11 years, Forever Stars has raised more than £800,000. Among the many projects funded by the charity’s fundraising is a bereavement ‘Serenity Suite’ at each of the QMC and Nottingham City hospitals, and the creation of a baby remembrance Serenity Garden in Nottingham that is maintained by the charity’s army of volunteers.
In 2024 alone, Forever Stars delivered over 50 well-being and mental health support workshops, launched a support group for men affected by baby loss, and raised £50,000 for a renovation and refurbishment scheme for Ward A23 at QMC.
This year, Forever Stars’ flagship fundraiser is its Talking Through Tears campaign, which is aiming to raise £60,000 to help support baby loss siblings who need extra emotional support when dealing with the trauma of losing a baby in their family.
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 Late Majesty The Queen’s Golden Jubilee and was continued following the accession of His Majesty The King. 2025 marks the third year of The King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
Recipients are announced annually on 14th November, The King’s Birthday. Award winners this year are wonderfully diverse and include volunteer groups from across the UK, whose work is a reminder of all the ways volunteers are contributing to their local communities and working to make life better for those around them.
Commenting on the charity’s King’s Award Forever Stars’ Richard Daniels, says: “I am absolutely delighted that Forever Stars has been awarded the King’s Award for Voluntary Service. This incredible recognition is a true testament to the hard work, compassion, and dedication of our volunteers, whose unwavering commitment has helped Forever Stars grow and make such a meaningful difference to baby loss families across Nottingham.”
Representatives of Forever Stars will receive the award crystal and certificate from Lord-Lieutenant for Nottinghamshire Veronica Pickering MBS HAC, in the coming months. In addition, two volunteers from Forever Stars will attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in May and June 2026, along with other recipients of this year’s award.
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For further information / media enquiries about Forever Stars / to arrange interviews with Richard Daniels, please contact:
Diane Wood, PR Consultant, DWPRE: diane@diane-wood.co.uk
