Downpatrick & County Down Railway receives The King's Award for Voluntary Service

The Downpatrick & County Down Railway, Northern Ireland's only volunteer-led full-size heritage railway, has been awarded The King's Award for Voluntary Service for 2025. This is the highest honour a local voluntary group can receive in the United Kingdom and is equivalent to an MBE.

The award comes as the Downpatrick & County Down Railway celebrates its 40th anniversary year, having been formally founded in 1985. Over the past four decades, volunteers have transformed a derelict brown field site into living history. The organisation preserves and operates vintage trains from the Victorian era to the modern day, and delivers museum education programmes, provides inclusive volunteering opportunities, and hosts major public events that attract thousands of visitors annually. The dedicated volunteer team manages every aspect of the railway's operations, from restoration and engineering to visitor experience and governance.

The Downpatrick & County Down Railway is one of 231 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups across the United Kingdom to receive the prestigious award this year. Their work, along with others across the UK, showcases the exceptional contribution volunteers make to their local communities and the positive impact volunteering has on people's lives.

The King's Award for Voluntary Service recognises outstanding work by volunteer groups. The honour was created in 2002 to celebrate Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee and has continued under His Majesty The King. The 2025 announcement marks the third year of The King's Award for Voluntary Service.

Recipients are announced annually on 14 November, The King's Birthday. This year's awardees reflect the diversity and strength of the voluntary sector across the UK, including groups protecting local environments, supporting vulnerable people, and preserving cultural heritage. The King's Award for Voluntary Service is one of the most challenging honours to achieve in the UK voluntary sector. Groups undergo a rigorous multi-stage assessment, and only those demonstrating exceptional impact, leadership and volunteer commitment are successful. This places the Downpatrick & County Down Railway among the highest-performing volunteer-led organisations in the country.

Representatives of the Downpatrick & County Down Railway will receive the award crystal and certificate from Gawn Rowan-Hamilton, Lord-Lieutenant of County Down, in the coming months. In addition, two volunteers will attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in May or June 2026, alongside other award recipients.

Robert Gardiner, Chairman of the Downpatrick & County Down Railway, said:

"We are deeply honoured and proud to receive The King's Award for Voluntary Service as we celebrate our 40th anniversary year. This award is a tribute to every volunteer who has helped build, maintain and grow this railway over the past four decades."

He continued: "In recent years we have faced some of the toughest and most unprecedented challenges in our forty years, from the shutdowns of Covid to the devastation of the 2023 Downpatrick floods which left much of the site literally under water. This award is a powerful recognition of every person who rolled up their sleeves and helped rebuild, reopen and restore this railway for the community we serve. Receiving The King's Award is a tribute to that spirit and to the people who give their time and passion so freely to keep this railway running."

Mr Gardiner concluded: "This is fantastic recognition of our volunteers. They give their time, skills and passion to preserve Northern Ireland's railway heritage and to make Downpatrick a welcoming and vibrant destination for visitors. This recognition means so much to our entire community, and we hope it inspires more people to get involved in volunteering and heritage."