That inexplicable warm fuzzy feeling you get, when excited, is a moment you don't usually forget. One of my earliest memories of such an experience was when Her Majesty our Queen Elizabeth and HRH Prince Philip visited Newcastle in July 1977 for the Silver Jubilee. Which made us all feel so special.
I admit it is a vague memory, given how young I was and how many years have passed since. Yet, I remember everyone standing along the street with flags waving. The cheering and buzz of the crowds, the connection and unity we felt with each other and our Queen.
Roll forward a few years, and as school children we lined the streets for HRH Princess Diana when the Redheugh Bridge was opened in 1983. Returning once again in 1991 Princess Diana opened St Peters Basin on the Quayside, which just so happened to be one of my favourite places to live. In 2011, I was delighted to be invited with the wife to a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, by Our Majesty the Queen, who was joined by various other members of our Royal Family including HRH Prince Philip who made us all feel very welcome. The way they went round making everyone feel special was endearing and we were charmed. We got the chance to experience the Gardens afterwards and met with a number of dignitaries from across the globe. When I received the call from the Cabinet Office in May 2014, telling me that I had been nominated for a CBE and would I accept it, my initial response was is this a wind up and second one was what is a CBE! Being appointed one of the youngest and the first British born Geordie Asian as a Commander of the British Empire, has to be one of my greatest achievements. I was devasted that my late mother could not experience with me but I am sure was there with me in spirit. Being recognised for my contribution to business and the community at such a level and then travelling to Buckingham Palace for another unbelievable experience with my wife, daughter, mother-in-law and elder brother was awesome.
Celebrating with friends and family at a special ceremony at the Houses of Parliament is something I will never forget. The following year in 2015, HRH Princess Eugenie visited my Primary School, where I was the Chair of Governors. We had invited Princess Eugenie, as a Newcastle University Student, to come and experience first-hand the charity we had established which provided real enterprise experiences to Primary aged pupils. Four primary schools had come together and I had donated a shop to them, where they could make and sell items, gaining invaluable business experience.
Princess Eugenie bought a hand made pottery plate for her Grandmother – our Queen – which I would like to think takes pride of place on a mantlepiece in Buckingham Palace. The joy on the faces of the pupils in Walker is unforgettable and something that will live with them all forever.
