Discovery Planet CIC, based in Ramsgate, has been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service for 2025. This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.
The organisation, which was set up in 2014 by Xanthe Pitt, Nikki Hildesley and Dr Vicky Mason, has brought accessible, creative and educational experiences to the heart of the community in Thanet for more than a decade.
The team, assisted by large numbers of volunteers, have delivered events and activities attracting more than 26,000 visits from school children and local people of all ages. This has provided free access to community members to explore STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) topics, including clean energy, micro-meteorites, plastics, the human heart, and genetics; and demonstrated the real-life applications of this learning.
It’s also brought to life a wide range of other subjects, like what it means to be a refugee, how to look after our mental health, and use the world around us to spark creative writing. As an example of best practice in community engagement, organisations around the country have been looking to Discovery Planet for inspiration, using it as a case study, and inviting the team to present their work at national conferences.
Discovery Planet is one of 231 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. Their work, along with others from across the UK, reminds us of all the ways fantastic volunteers are contributing to their local communities and working to make life better for those around them.
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups to support their communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate Her Late Majesty The Queen’s Golden Jubilee and was continued following the accession of His Majesty The King.
This year marks the third year of The King’s Award for Voluntary Service. Recipients are announced annually on 14th November, The King’s Birthday. Award winners this year are wonderfully diverse and include volunteer groups from across the UK, such as a group of dog walkers clearing up their local area in Kincardineshire and a group providing unique flying experiences for people with disabilities in Hampshire.
Representatives of Discovery Planet will receive the award crystal and certificate from Lady Annabel Colgrain, Lord-Lieutenant of Kent in the coming months. In addition, two volunteers from Discovery Planet will attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in May and June 2026, along with other recipients of this year’s award.
Founder, Xanthe Pitt said: “We are extremely proud that our group’s work has been recognised. Each event is a huge group effort, and over the years literally thousands of hours of volunteer time have gone into making our innovative project impactful and joyous.
“Even event participants become active contributors, because their feedback provides inspiration for the next topics we explore, or shapes the way we deliver activities. Discovery Planet is genuinely led by the community, for the community, so this award is for everyone who has been involved over the years, in whatever capacity.
“We are also aware that there are many extraordinary volunteer-involving groups working across Thanet, so we hope our award brings forth other nominations in the future, and shines a light on the wider sector.”
