On 28th September Michel and Sue were invited to London for Michael to receive and award from The RYA for 'Lifetime Commitment to the Sport of Sailing'

HRH the Princess Royal, President of the RYA, honoured some of boating’s most outstanding volunteers on Friday 28 November as she presented the 2008 RYA Community and RYA Awards at the RYA's annual awards ceremony held in London.

HRH the Princess Royal commented; “It is really important to make volunteers feel valued for what they do.  Often they just get up and get on with things and these awards are just one way to recognise the work these people do.”

Thursday 27th November 2008

We were driven to the station by Bill, our next-door neighbour.

We left Preston on the 1749 hours Pendalino train to Euston.  We arrived at Euston on time, more or less, and Damian, our son, was waiting for us.
After some confusion about the boarding point we caught the No. 91 bus to King’s Cross and arrived at Damian’s flat in Carnegie Road.

Friday morning we travelled on the No. 91 bus in the opposite direction to Trafalgar Square, I was getting anxious and concerned whether or not we would arrive on time, much to Damian’s disgust.

It was raining so again I found something to worry about, whether or not I would get wet walking down Whitehall.

We had about half an hour to spare so we went into the National Gallery and wandered round for a while.

Posing outside the National Gallery

After more confusion, we entered number One Great George Street, it turns out it was the headquarters of the Institute of Civil Engineers, a very fine building, which of course you would expect it to be.  It is actually on the site of numbers 1 to 7, as we discovered later.  I saw number 8 on a building as we entered Great George Street and assumed, wrongly, that it would be on the other side of the road.

We were met at the door by a charming lady who led us to the reception desk where we received our ‘badges’ from more smiling assistants.

We proceeded to the cloakroom and then up the main staircase to the Great Hall where Rod Carr, the Chief Executive was outlining the procedure for the event, protocol etc..

Here he is

We picked up a drink, orange juice, we could have been quite inebriated by the time the President arrived!   Two ladies, Dorothy Halliday and her daughter, befriended us and helped to relieve the tension.

The President, H. R. H. The Princess Royal, arriving at One Great George Street and being met by The Chief Executive, Rod Carr, and The Chairman, Richard Langford

The Vice-Chairman welcomed us as we entered the Great Hall, here he is welcoming the Princess

We were eventually shepherded into groups and the President worked her way round all the groups speaking a few words to each award recipient and their companion.

Sue & Michael meeting the Princess Royal, President of the RYA, before the luncheon

Dorothy Halliday & daughter, Barry Yacht Club, they befriended us

Mrs & Mr Harold Wood shared our table Liverpool Sailing Club

John Stokes was with his wife Margaret sat next to Sue, Ranelagh Sailing Club. John had been the Race Officer for 45 years!

The luncheon tables waiting for us

We sat down to an excellent lunch, best steak we’ve ever had.

All seated and eating

We sat down to an excellent lunch, best steak we’ve ever had.

The President singing our praises

Rod Carr announcing the awardees

Then we received our awards, the President presenting them with a few minutes conversation with each recipient.  Rod Carr announced us in our turn, alphabetically.

Receiving the award, a certificate and medallion, for services to sailing

Discussing Michael's Career

The 'Official Photograph'

The RYA's Commendation of Michael:

After it was all over, not quite

The awardees collected on the main staircase

The event over we mingled for a while, had the group photo taken and then left the building behind escorted once again by Damian.

He took us across Parliament Square to see Brian Haw the now famous anti-war demonstrator, we were fortunate to exchange a few words with him.

We sauntered round the outside of Westminster Cathedral and then down to Westminster Bridge.  Across the bridge and along the south bank of the Thames to the South Bank Centre, the Royal Festival Hall, where we had a cup of tea and a piece of cake. 

It was dark by now and the city lights were glistening in the rain.

We walked on to the Tate Modern.

Later we crossed the famous Millennium Footbridge, above, ending up outside St. Paul’s in the Pizzahut for a meal.

This time it was the number 17 bus back to Camden.

Saturday morning Damian took us round Camden Town Antiques market, eventually ending up in the Café Med for lunch.

We walked back to Damian’s flat, picked up our luggage and he put us on the number 91 bus back to Euston for the 1600 hours train to Prston.

After five and a half hours, track up-rating work, we arrived at Preston Station where we were met by our next-door neighbour, who conveyed us home.

We both thoroughy enjoyed the day.

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