Ann receives a Royal invitation to mark years of good work

A VOLUNTEER from Halton has been rewarded for her hard work in the community with a garden party at Buckingham Palace.

Ann MacFarlane, 62, has been volunteering in Runcorn and Widnes for more than 30 years and is also a Board Member at Halton Housing Trust.

In recognition of her contribution to her local community she received an invitation from the Queen to attend a garden party on July 19th along with other community volunteers and dignitaries from across the country.

“I am still in awe of the whole thing,” said Ann. “It was a strange experience to see the Queen – especially in her own back garden.”

Ann has five grandsons, but has still found time over the years to help Halton Housing Trust in its role building better communities in the area.

She is also a churchwarden and has volunteered with other community groups in the area.

The Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire wrote to Ann in January asking if she would be interested in attending the garden party, but she had to wait until June for her official invite.

“People were asking if I had received the invite, but we had to just keep hanging on for about six months,” said Ann, who lives in Ditton.

When the invite eventually came, Ann decided to travel to the Palace with daughter Joanne. They took in some sights – including a trip to Harrods – before the big date with the Queen.

Also in attendance at the garden party were Prince Charles and Camilla, Princess Anne, the Earl and Countess of Wessex and Prince Phillip.

“They made an effort to talk to a lot of people, but I wasn’t one of the lucky ones,” said Ann.

Noel Sharpe, Executive Director of Customer Services at Halton Housing Trust, said: “I have worked with Ann for several years and she fully deserves this moment. It is always great to hear about someone being recognised for their great work in the community.”