London Ambulance Service staff among guests at the first Buckingham Palace Garden Party of the year

A group of staff from London Ambulance Service attended His Majesty The King’s Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace earlier this week (Wednesday 7 May) in recognition of their service to Londoners.

Deputy Chief Paramedic Alison Blakely, General Manager for 111 Maira Qureshi and Fleet Governance and Performance Manager Anne Fulcher were selected to attend the afternoon event hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

Also present were the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. Upon arrival, the Royals stood at the top of the garden steps to observe the national anthem played by a military band, before dispersing into the crowd.

A tradition which dates back to Queen Victoria, Garden Parties allow members of the Royal Family to meet people in public service, voluntary or community work and thank them for their dedication and service to their communities.

Alison Blakely said: “It was such an honour to have been invited to the Royal Garden Party – none of us come into our roles and careers to get recognition for it. We do our jobs because we love it and the impact we have on the people of London is reward in itself.

“To be recognised in such a way was so amazing – something I’ll treasure for ever.”

Maira Qureshi added: “It was an amazing experience to see the Royal Family and walk around the beautiful gardens of Buckingham Palace.

“It was extra special to experience the day with my mum. I feel blessed to have been nominated for such a wonderful and unique opportunity.”

Anne Fulcher said: “The overall day was really something to cherish and a once in a lifetime experience which I am truly grateful for.”

For its part, London Ambulance Service has held several visits from the Royal Family. In 2018, King Charles III, when he was Prince of Wales, visited the Service to launch the first of its pioneering mental health cars and met frontline crews, including paramedics, volunteers and 999 call handlers in our control rooms.

And during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Prince and Princess of Wales visited the 111 control centre in Croydon and Newham Ambulance Station when they were Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.