'King's Award recognises centre's impact' 

A charity based in a Baptist church building that provides a safe space where children can meet the parents they don’t live with has received the King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS) - the equivalent to an MBE

  
Avenue Child Contact Centre has been operating out of Avenue Baptist Church in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex since 2004. (It’s not a ministry of the church, but has close links). 
  
The award is the highest given to local voluntary groups in the UK. In 2024 there were only eight KAVS awards in Essex, and 281 nationwide.  
 
‘Receiving this award is amazing’, said Centre manager Nicolette Coleman. ‘I think we do a really good job, and have done for years, but you don't know how that's coming across. 
 
‘This is recognition of the warm, calm atmosphere the Centre and our wonderful volunteers create, and the impact we have.’ 
 
Nicolette helped launch the service when she was a member at Avenue, and aware of a similar service nearby closing. It opens every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month in the church building to create an inviting space for the child and the parent to spend up to three hours together. It offers a range of toys, as well as lunch, drinks and snacks, which are all free. Volunteers are on hand throughout, but don't interfere unless there is an issue. In this way it offers ‘supported’, not ‘supervised’ contact. 
  
‘It's just time for the child and parent to be together,’ explains Nicolette.  
 
‘We want it to be a gift to the family, so that they can basically remain in contact with both parents and have a good time together. 
 
‘Then when their time is up, we take the child back to the other parent, and then they all leave separately.’ 
  
The Centre is ‘a stepping stone’, with a view to helping the estranged families build up trust again. Participants are either referred by statutory agencies, or self refer. Each is offered 12 sessions, which would typically take six months. Very occasionally this initial block is extended for another six months. 
 
‘For most people, it moves on in a good way,’ Nicolette continues. ‘One family left us recently as it was never going to work out, and the courts are going to have to deal with it now, but that’s rare. 
 
‘Generally people really appreciate it – that’s what the feedback forms show. They mention how wonderful our volunteers are, how kind we are to them.’ 
 
While clearly valuable to the individuals and families who attend, there’s wider societal impact too. More than a million children have no contact whatsoever with one of their parents after separation. Unfortunately, some experience behavioural issues including antisocial behaviour, distress, unhappiness, and both physical and emotional problems. 
  
Research shows it is beneficial for children to maintain contact with parents following a separation – which is exactly what the Centre facilitates. 
 
‘Not only do we help facilitate improved trust between the estranged parents, there's the extended families too,’ continues Nicolette. ‘Because then that child can now go and visit their other grandma and granddad, and cousins, aunties and uncles.  
 
‘If those children are having better family relationships, then they're going to get on better in school and in the way they behave in society. That's what the research shows.’ 
  
Although Nicolette now worships at another Baptist church, the charity retains close links with Avenue Baptist: two trustees are members at Avenue, and a prayer group that supports the charity consists of mostly members there. The volunteers are a mix of Christian and non Christians. Nicolette is the only paid member of staff, working 13 hours a week. The Centre receives no statutory funding, so has to raise its own funds. 
 
‘I genuinely didn't expect to be involved in running it at the start, and I certainly didn't expect to be doing it 21 years later,’ says Nicolette. 'But it’s one of those rare things where you can really see God's got his hand in this.’ 

The Revd Jane Guest is minister of Avenue Baptist Church. 'As a Church we are over the moon for the Contact Centre,' she said.

'Their hard work, care and professionalism helping families is a lifeline in our community. Congratulations for the King's Award, a fantastic achievement.' 
 
  
About the King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS) 
 
Every day, millions of people across the UK are making a difference by volunteering. Each year, outstanding examples of this work are celebrated through the King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS). 
  
Created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee and previously known as The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS), the Award has been shining a light on the fantastic work of voluntary groups from all across the UK for many years. 
  
Equivalent to an MBE, KAVS is the highest Award given to local voluntary groups in the UK, and they are awarded for life.