Local homelessness charity Trinity Winchester has had a month of royal engagements, as volunteers for the charity were invited to attend both the Royal Wedding on 19th May, and also to visit Buckingham Palace on 31st May.
Trinity received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award given to volunteer groups across the UK, and attended the celebration at Buckingham Palace. This unique award was created by Her Majesty in 2002, to mark her Golden Jubilee, and celebrate the impact voluntary groups have on the country. Trinity was one of 250 organisations to receive the award, announced annually on 2nd June, the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation.
Chief Executive Sue McKenna, and volunteer Nicola Butcher (pictured), attended the awards at Buckingham Palace. Nicola said “It was so exciting to be able to represent Trinity for the Queens Award for Voluntary Service. The award is an incredible achievement for the charity, and well deserved. I have been volunteering there for a couple of years, and the work that all of the staff and volunteers do to support homeless and vulnerable people is truly life changing.”
Trinity was also represented at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle by one of its volunteers, Tom Watson, who attended as an official spectator with his wife Jenny. Tom, who helps run the charity’s Job Club, and serves breakfasts to homeless and rough sleepers on Saturdays, had a great day.
“It was an honour for me to be invited by the Lord Lieutenant to attend the Royal Wedding on behalf of Trinity Winchester,” Tom said. “The royal couple had identified services for homeless people in their own patronage of charities, so Trinity Winchester was chosen for the county as an organisation to be represented.”
Tom said the Royal Wedding was one of the best-organised events he had attended and all the ‘official spectators’ were given a real welcome by Windsor Castle staff. “It was a personal privilege to attend, and it was also an honour for all the volunteers and staff of Trinity Winchester to be acclaimed in this way.”
