CCSS inquest team’s royal award - volunteers honoured by the Queen
Published: 4 June 2010
by JAMIE WELHAM
A GROUP of volunteers who help grieving families through the distressing experience of attending the inquest into the death of a loved one have been honoured by the Queen.
The Coroners’ Courts Supports Service (CCSS) was set up at Westminster Coroner’s Court in Horseferry Road in 2003 to give practical advice and support to people struggling to cope in the aftermath of a death.
It has grown to cover 13 coroners’ courts with 54 volunteers.
The service was announced as one of 103 volunteering groups to win this year’s Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, and will be honoured with a commemorative plaque in the Westminster court.
Annie Cockram, one of the founding trustees, paid tribute to Westminster coroner Dr Paul Knapman. She said: “It is an enormous honour for the service and its volunteers to have received this prestigious award. We wish to acknowledge the foresight of Dr Paul Knapman, for not only allowing us to pilot the scheme in his court but also for his unstinting support
He was convinced it was a worthwhile and much needed service.”