Staff and residents from The Beacon, a supported housing scheme for ex-Services personnel, were honoured to be invited to a garden party in Buckingham Palace.
Two members of staff and three formerly homeless veterans travelled to London on 11 June thanks to funding from Church Housing Trust. The Buckingham Palace gates were opened to them and around 2,000 other guests by kind permission of Her Majesty The Queen.
The guests, a mixture of ex-Services men and women, supporting workers, serving personnel who volunteered to help at the event, and the Yeomen of the Guard, who provide ceremonial duties at the Palace, were chosen by the Not Forgotten Association to attend the party. Some attendees were given the opportunity to meet with the Association’s patron, HRH The Princess Royal.
The sun was shining and it was the perfect day for mingling with celebrities, members of the royalty and other guests. The Royal Marine Military Band was playing, and the lemonade was flowing. A refreshment tent set up to the side of the gardens was serving high tea, including of course traditional cucumber sandwiches, and strawberries grown at Prince Charles’ residence, Highgrove Gardens.
The Beacon team didn’t get to speak with Princess Anne, but they did get a chance to chat to some celebrities, who were more than happy to talk and pose for photos. Most humbling was chatting with a 96-year-old veteran who had been a prisoner of war in Japan; it was his second visit to the annual celebration, and he and his wife had a fabulous day.
The atmosphere was relaxed, which made for a great day out. Support worker Kate commented that it was: “An experience that I certainly will never forget.”
The veterans who had been given the opportunity to go said it was very important to them to meet other veterans, an incredible experience, and a totally amazing day out.
