The Queen and I

I love London! Every time I go back I wonder why on earth I ever left. I just find wandering around the West End such an uplifting experience, drinking in the architecture, the people, the history. Yesterday I was lucky enough to spend a couple of hours in a part of London that not many get to see - no less a location than St James's Palace and in the company of Her Majesty the Queen! I had been invited to the 25th anniversary celebrations of the charity Help the Hospices as a thank you for my work in setting up a charity partnership with Carlsberg - linking each of the sites to their local hospice. I must say I thoroughly enjoyed myself despite not much really happening - no wild party! We simply turned up, had a glass of wine and nibbled on a (very) tiny canape or two and chatted with some random people. Then the Queen and Prince Philip came through each room and were presented to notable people then we wandered around a bit and left. However, it was the whole 'occasion' that was so enjoyable, the sense of where you were and the company you were keeping. The ghosts of monarchs past wandering those same corridors where suddenly I, a lowly girl from Northampton was strutting her stuff in her new Coast dress and stiletto heels. We even saw the Throne! No idea if it is in regular use, but imagine what important bottoms must have sat on it! I got to pass my business card around a bit so you never know... Maybe I'll get a call from HRH next week!

Help the Hospices are a great charity to be involved with on a corporate partnership. One of the reasons Carlsberg chose them was because each of the sites could team up with their local hospice and, through fundraising and volunteering, give something back to the local community.