The British Empire Medal (BEM), which was awarded as part of the Queen's Honours system to British citizens making a difference in their communities until 1992, will be reintroduced in the Diamond Jubilee Honours list in June next year.

Associated with the Order of the British Empire (OBE), the BEM was established in the same year, 1917, and was once known as "the working class gong". It was originally split into two medals - one for exceptional civil service, and one for military gallantry and was awarded to those who did not qualify to be made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).

The medal will now be awarded to volunteers, with its reintroduction seen by Downing Street as a way to drive community volunteering, a key component of the government's Big Society agenda. Announcing the reintroduction of the medal, Prime Minister David Cameron said: "There are some really exceptional people who make a real difference to their communities through volunteering and fundraising that should be properly celebrated and recognised.

“We want more people to be part of the Honours system and would encourage communities to nominate the people they know who deserve special recognition for the invaluable work they are doing in our society.”

It is expected there will be around 270 to 300 medals awarded in each Honours round, with those awarded attending the Royal Garden Party. BEM recipients will also be entitled to use the post-nominal letters.

While the medal was taken out of service in the UK, other Commonwealth realms such as the Bahamas and Cook Islands continued to issue the award.