A COVETED King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS) has gone to Exmoor Young Voices (EYV), one of three Somerset charities to be recognised this year.

The group engages with young adults in the community, offering support with job opportunities, housing, and other issues to help them stay working and living on Exmoor.

The majority of them are aged 18 to 35 years and still living at home, although EYV is steadily improving conditions for many to be independent and boosting their prospects of owning sustainable homes of their own through self-build initiatives.

EYV is a self-organising and self-directing, all-volunteer group who bring their own persuasive, practical, and innovative solutions to a raft of 59 authority policy makers and budget holders to prioritise housing, digital inclusion, rents, earnings, travel, and transport in an effort to sustain a balanced population on Exmoor.

Its ‘golden goal’ is to prevent young people needing to leave Exmoor to start a life elsewhere.

Co-founder and adviser Leslie Silverlock said: “Exmoor Young Voices are delighted that King Charles is rewarding their 10 years of voluntary service, giving a voice to their imaginative ideas and solutions helping Exmoor's young adults.

“EYV has alerted the public authorities to the dwindling numbers of young workers and families vital to sustaining the economy, environment, services, tourism, and future of Exmoor.

“The King’s award will prioritise their housing and employment needs at last.”

The award is equivalent to an MBE for individuals and the highest given annually to voluntary groups in the UK, celebrating outstanding work done by charities.