Nusrat Ghani, MP for Sussex Weald, is delighted that the work of a fantastic Crowborough charity Family2Family has been recognised by The King's Award for Voluntary Service.
Crowborough charity Family2Family is one of 231 organisations across the UK that have been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS) in November 2025. It is the highest award given to local volunteer groups in recognition of their outstanding community service. Equivalent to an MBE, The KAVS is awarded for life.
Family2Family began in 2018 as Baby2Baby and it now, thanks to a dedicated team of 40 volunteers, operates across East Sussex, supporting thousands of local families in need. The charity collects donations of baby and children's clothing, toys, toiletries and other essential items, which are then sorted and safety checked by volunteers before being delivered to families.
All the items are free, and most are pre-loved, but they are washed and packed with care, so that the recipients feel like they are receiving a gift. To ensure that the items go to those most in need of support, referrals are made by professionals and advice agencies who ensure eligibility criteria are met.
Earlier this year, Nusrat visited Family2Family and met its founder Hannah Powell, when she teamed up with Hailsham charity Medi Tech Trust to deliver a donation of baby bottles and associated items.
Nusrat Ghani said: “I’m incredibly proud that Crowborough’s Family2Family received The King's Award for Voluntary Service this November. Family2Family are a fantastic local charity and key community source of vital support for struggling families in Sussex Weald and across East Sussex. I am hugely grateful for the fantastic work that Family2Family is doing, and I was delighted to catch up with founder Hannah Powell earlier this year when I joined Medi Tech Trust in delivering thousands of baby bottles. The King's Award for voluntary service is the UK’s highest award for outstanding voluntary services, and I’m pleased that Family2Family’s tireless work has been rightly recognised this way. I would encourage any residents who are in a position to donate unwanted baby or children’s clothes, toys and other items to get in touch with Family2Family as I know that they would be most welcome for redistribution and go a long way in supporting a local parent through a difficult time.”
