A DAY TO REMEMBER
by Eileen Bennett
6 May 2010 – Polling Day
Marking the 30th Anniversary of the Motor Neurone Disease Association
I will always remember being one of the fortunate people invited to St James Palace on this very special occasion in the presence of HRH the Princess Royal, our Royal Patron, when she wished to thank the many volunteers who are associated with this worthy cause.
On the morning of Thursday 6 May just before 9am my son, Bruce, and I set out for London by car from my home, which is now in the Midlands. It was a grey looking morning but that did not deter our feelings of excitement for the forthcoming event ahead.
There was a congestion charge in operation for Central London which Bruce had dealt with on the Internet and, as we came nearer to Central London, the traffic because very busy through Kilburn and along Edgware Road. We saw Glenda Jackson and helpers heading for their polling station, all adding to the excitement of the day.
In the meantime the grey clouds had departed and we were in lovely sunshine passing through the Mall - Green Park and St James Park looked so beautiful with people picnicking and enjoying the well earned sunshine. Yes, London does look beautiful in the sunshine and especially Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard with tourists galore.
We arrived at Friary Car Park at 11.45am but not due until 12 noon. Fortunately two policemen were outside the gates which were locked, and they contacted the Administrator of St James Palace and the gates were opened so enabling us to park outside the entrance we were to use.
Perhaps at this moment I should explain my situation: three weeks earlier I had a hip replacement. I wish to thank British Red Cross for loaning me a wheelchair, which enabled me to come to London and be present at St James Palace. Without this chair, I would not have been able to have all these wonderful memories.
I could feast my eyes on the splendid building of St James Palace, which was built in Henry VIII’s reign and on the site of the Hospital of St James of Westminster. William IV was the last sovereign to use St James Palace as a residence.
Passing through the entrance we had a grand view of the impressive staircase. Using the lift we arrived in the Armoury State apartment which housed the circular gunshield complete with central gun and grill, some of the armoury having been found aboard the “Mary Rose” when she was brought to the surface off Portsmouth.
On through the Tapestry Room and it was here that Queen Mary signed the territory of Calais away in 1558 remarking that when she should die Calais would be engraved in her heart.
At last Bruce and I found my friends from the East Dorset & New Forest branch and I was so happy to meet up with them again. I was also pleased to meet up with people only known through the Newsletter. Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal, our Royal Patron of the MND Association, arrived to join us and was soon chatting away. She was slighter in build than I imagined but I found her very warm and friendly and dressed in a smart lighter brown suit.
Green tickets were handed to various people and to our special friends in wheelchairs who had MND so they were able to have a chat with Princess Ann. Her Royal Highness spoke to us all collectively and I found her most interesting and naturally she was quite au fait with everything that is going on – mentioning the development of the care of people living with MND and understanding the disease, treatment and possibility of a cure funded by the Association.
Thank you Bruce for making this visit possible and thank you to the Motor Neurone Disease Association for remembering me from the days of 1985 when we started talking of forming a local branch – Dorset & New Forest. I was the first Branch Secretary when the branch was formed in 1986.
May the goal we are aiming for soon become reality … A CURE FOR THIS DISEASE.