I was incredibly honoured to attend the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace alongside my wife, Wendy, after Housing 21 was nominated through the National Care Forum (NCF).
NCF offered a limited number of invitations to organisations supporting its Communities of Practice, recognising individuals who have made a significant contribution to the care and support sector. Having co-chaired the NCF community of a number of years and worked closely with others to champion housing with care and support for older people, I felt very proud to be considered for such an opportunity.
It’s a huge honour to attend something like this. I never thought in a million years I would have the opportunity to go to Buckingham Palace, never mind attending one of their tea parties (who knew the gardens were so big!).
Being able to share the experience with my wife Wendy made it even more special. I don’t tend to talk about work too much at home, so I never quite know if my family fully understand what I do day to day. To be able to experience something like this together is something I’m very grateful for.
That said, my 16-year-old daughter, Evie, was less impressed that she wasn’t invited. In her words, I was “taking away her Bridgerton moment”! Unfortunately for her, she also had her first GCSE exam on the same day, which made it doubly unfair from her perspective, and will end up costing me in the long run.
If I’m honest, attending something like this was never something I imagined for myself growing up. Without sounding dramatic, I had a slightly different childhood and upbringing, and if you’d told 13-year-old me that one day I’d meet a sitting Prime Minister, and attend a royal garden party recognising the work I do, I simply wouldn’t have believed you.
I’m incredibly proud and thankful to Housing 21 for helping create opportunities that have allowed experiences like this to happen.
The day itself was fantastic. There were so many people there being recognised for the work they do in communities across the country, and it was genuinely lovely to see The King, Queen and Princess Royal taking time to speak with guests throughout the afternoon.
And yes — the cakes really were amazing.
It was a wonderful and hugely memorable experience, and one I certainly won’t forget.
