Nominations Now Open!

We’re excited to announce that nominations for the 2025 President’s Award are now open! This prestigious award honours volunteers who have shown extraordinary dedication to RDA for over 30 years and is presented annually by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal.

Nominations close at midnight on Sunday 10th November 2024. 

Overview

The RDA President’s Award is the most prestigious accolade within the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), honouring extraordinary volunteers who have shown exceptional dedication to RDA for 30 years or more.

Established in 2010 to celebrate RDA’s 40th anniversary, this award is presented annually by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, recognising remarkable contributions to the RDA.

RDA National Office administers the Award which is overseen Mrs Jane Holderness-Roddam CVO CBE, the terms and conditions reflect Her Royal Highness’s wishes.

Purpose

The RDA President’s Award recognises and celebrates individuals who have demonstrated a lifetime commitment to the RDA through voluntary service, contributing to the ongoing success and growth of the organisation.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the President’s Award, nominees must meet the following criteria:

• Length of Service: A minimum of 30 years of voluntary service to RDA.
• Exceptional Contribution: Nominees must have demonstrated exceptional dedication to RDA or one of its Member Groups.

Nomination Process

Who can nominate?

Anyone can make a nomination for a President’s Award; however, nominations must be endorsed by the relevant RDA representative if appropriate, as outlined below.  

All submissions must include:

1. A completed nomination form

2. A citation made up of: 

• Part 1- Reasons for nomination: a maximum of 300 words outlining the reasons for the nomination, highlighting the nominee’s exceptional service.
• Part 2 – Outline of Exceptional Service: a brief summary of the nominee’s service (100 words maximum)

3. Endorsement: 

• Nominations must be endorsed by the nominee’s Regional Chair or a National-Level volunteer if the nominator does not hold either of these roles.
• If the nominee is a Regional Chair the endorsement should come from the Chair of Regional Chairs or a National Level volunteer.

Nominations can be made via:

• Online Submission: an online form is now available – complete your nomination online here.
• Microsoft Word Form: Download and complete the nomination form in Microsoft Word, then submit via email to volunteer@RDA.org.uk or by post to the address provided on the form – download here.

Why do things look a little bit different this year?

The President’s Awards documentation and nomination forms have been updated for 2025 with accessibility in mind, making the nomination process more inclusive. The new format ensures that the form is accessible for a wider range of individuals, including those with digital access needs.

In addition to the online submission option, we still offer a downloadable, typed Microsoft Word form for those who prefer this method. Our goal is to make it as simple as possible for all nominators to submit their forms, ensuring that no deserving volunteer is overlooked due to barriers in the process.

Additional Information: 

For more details, please refer to the President’s Awards 2025 – Award Guidelines

For F.A.Q’s please see – President’s Awards 2025 – F.A.Q’s. 

Need some help getting started? Check out – Telling Their Story – Writing A Powerful Citation for President’s Award Nominations