Royal visit for support centre after King's Award

The founder of a charity in Kent which won the King's Award for Voluntary Service is set to go on a royal visit on Tuesday.

Maya's Community Support Centre, in Herne Bay, operates a support centre, cafe, food bank and free shop.

Founder Maya Amangeldiyeva said she would be wearing an outfit from the charity's shop to a Buckingham Palace garden party to "promote sustainable clothing and to reduce the stigma surrounding donated clothing".

She said: "I want to show everyone that you can still look good wearing donated outfits."

Calling the award "particularly special" for the charity, she added: "It is the volunteers who have helped make all our work possible.

"Their dedication and incredible work has supported thousands of people over the years."

The centre has helped thousands of people, both locals and abroad, including those affected by the 2023 Turkey-Syria Earthquake, Amangeldiyeva said.

According to the community centre, when it opened its new free shop in October 2025, there were more than 1,300 visitors.

It also received 883 bags of donations and provided food for 901 people in the first week.

In 2024, the community centre won the BBC Make A Difference Award in the Green category.

Last year, Amangeldiyeva was also featured in The Big Issue's magazine's 100 Changemaker's List.

The King's Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to voluntary groups in the UK and was first established by Queen Elizabeth II in 2002 to coincide with her golden jubilee.

The award is equivalent to an MBE for charities, a spokesperson said on its website.

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