A select group of ambulance staff who have shown exceptional commitment and dedication to their work and to the wellbeing of their ambulance service colleagues was rewarded in May with invitations to a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace.
A tradition dating back to Queen Victoria, the Royal Family’s annual summer Garden Parties became closely associated with the late Queen Elizabeth II during her 70-year-reign. They are an opportunity for the Royals to meet charity workers and community representatives in the beautiful surroundings of the Palace grounds.
The Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) is often asked to provide nominations for potential invitees and Tasnim Ali (Chair of the national Black Minority Ethnic (BME) Network), Dawn Whelan (Chair of the National Ambulance Disability Network) and Dr Alison Walker (Chair of JRCALC – the Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee) were selected to attend one of the first Garden Parties of the reign of King Charles III and the Queen Consort, held in celebration of their historic Coronation earlier in the month.
Said Dawn:
I wasn’t sure what to expect and I don’t think I realised the enormity of the honour of being invited to begin with so I was quite nervous, but the whole thing was so lovely. We had the most wonderful time, thank you so much for such an amazing opportunity.
Alison added:
I was honoured to have represented JRCALC at the King Charles III’s Coronation Garden Party today, on behalf of everyone who gives their time to volunteer as a Committee member or a guideline group member and those who support us.
Said Tasnim:
What a lovely experience – I am eternally grateful.
Other ambulance staff are also often invited to the Royal Garden Parties as nominees of their own Ambulance Trusts.
