Palace date for Charity quartet
MEMBERS of local charity Dream-A-Way said they were honoured to travel to
London to see the Queen yesterday.
After receiving the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service 2008,
the team was invited to attend the Queen's Garden Party at Buckingham Palace.
Bob Beer, Gill Freeman and Charlie Thomas joined chairman Jeff Merrett MBE on the journey from
Exeter to London for the special occasion.
Jeff said: “It was absolutely brilliant and the fabulous weather made it even more special.
We didn't talk to the Queen
but she walked a few feet away from us."
"Prince Charles and Camilla were there, too. It was a huge honour for us all to be invited. There were about 5,000 people there and everybody was really kind.
It was particularly nice to be able to take our 81-year-old founding committee member, Charlie Thomas, who's been with us from the beginning. It was great for the four of us to be rewarded for all the hard work we've put in.”
The Exeter-based charity sends people with physical and learning difficulties from across the South West on holidays and day trips.
Dream-A-Way representatives (L-R) Jeff Merrett, Bob Beer, Charlie Thomas and Gill Freeman setting off for a garden party at Buckingham Palace after being given the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service 2008
Story courtesy of the Express & Echo