Charity’s founders, volunteers and supporters celebrate King’s Award
Added by Love Business East Midlands | 27 April 2026
UPDATED: 28 April 2026
The co-founders of Nottingham-based charity Forever Stars were joined by more than 100 of the charity’s volunteers, supporters, patrons and ambassadors for the official presentation by the Lord-Lieutenant for Nottinghamshire, Veronica Pickering CBE, of its King’s Award for Voluntary Services.
Forever Stars, which is dedicated to supporting bereaved families and raising awareness of baby loss, was awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service for 2025 in November last year, and hosted the event at The Jubilee Hotel at Nottingham University last Friday (24 April 2026) for the official presentation of the Award.
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.
The charity’s founders Richard and Michelle Daniels received the Award from Veronica Pickering CBE, and Deputy Lieutenants Anita Davies, Mark Goldby and David Stewart, to loud cheers and clapping from the crowd of invited guests, which included families supported by the charity, local MPs Lilian Greenwood and Juliet Campbell, and the charity’s patrons and broadcasters Anne Davies and Mark Denison.
Forever Stars was set up in 2014, a few months after Michelle and Richard’s daughter Emily was stillborn in December 2013, with a commitment to fundraise and campaign to improve the bereavement care for Nottingham’s parents, families and their loved ones throughout their baby loss journey, as well as raise awareness of baby loss.
Eleven years on, and Forever Stars has a growing team of volunteers, has raised more than £900,000, funded numerous projects including bereavement Serenity Suites at both the QMC and Nottingham City hospitals, created a baby remembrance Serenity Garden in Nottingham’s Highfields Park that is maintained by the charity’s volunteers, and a Serenity Centre in Beeston.
After the celebration event, Richard Daniels said:
“What a night it was! The evening was a powerful reminder of the emotional journey that sits at the heart of our community, and everyone felt more than a little emotional as we each reflected on what this recognition truly represents.
“The King’s Award belongs to every single person who has given their time, shared their story, supported our work, and believed in Forever Stars.
“Of course it is incredible recognition of the support and work provided by the charity and every one of its volunteers, but also 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.”
For more information about Forever Stars, visit the charity’s website: https://www.foreverstars.org/
