A NATIONALTrust volunteer from Redditch was a guest at Prince Charles’s 70th birthday patronage garden party at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.
Jeff Williams, aged 71, from Winyates, volunteers as a tour-guide up to four times a week at the Birmingham ‘Back to Backs’ in Hurst Street.
There are some 65,000 volunteers for the National Trust and Jeff’s was the name pulled out of the hat to go, together with four top officials from the organisation.
“I felt very honoured to be chosen,” said Jeff.
Hosted by Prince Harry who was there with his bride Meghan, he missed out on a chat with Prince Charles but did chat to and shake the hand of Camilla.
“After asking me who I represented, she congratulated me on the good job myself and the National Trust are doing,” he said.
“I fell very fortunate to have met her. We just happened to be at the front of a wall of people about ten deep. Prince Charles was chatting to the chap next to me and I met the Duchess of Cornwall.
“I also saw Prince Harry and Meghan but they were only in the garden for a short time. They disappeared into Buckingham Palace after speaking with a few of the guests.”
Jeff is an engineer by trade and runs Central Bearings and Transmissions in Moons Moat although is now semi-retired, spending the rest of his time helping out at the National Trust.
He remit isn’t just as a tour guide, but also helps with outreach work with inner city children.
“When we arrived at the Palace I noticed how strict the security was. To get into the party I had to present all kinds of formal documents so they could be sure it was me.
“There was even armed police on Buckingham Palace roof, it was surreal.”
Now he and his wife have had his invitation framed as a permanent memento of his big day.
“I loved my day out in the sun and I will cherish the memory forever,” he said.
To book a tour of the Back to Backs, call 0121 666 7671.
For more information, click here
