‘An amazing experience’ – local education representatives visit palace for royal garden party
TWO local folk involved in education have reflected on their “once in a lifetime” experience of being invited to London for a royal garden party at Buckingham Palace.
It was case of going from boilersuits at the Bigton farm to Buckingham Palace for former children’s services chief Helen Budge as she rubbed shoulders with royalty on Wednesday.
Budge, who stepped down from her long-held role as Shetland Islands Council’s children’s services director last year, was invited to the party via the Scottish Government.
The glitzy event was held to celebrate education and skills across the UK, with the King and Queen in attendance.
Budge never got to speak to either – she came close to the King, though – but said she still had a “marvellous afternoon” in the lavish surroundings.
She had a plus one, and chose her former PA Arianne Sandison to accompany her on the trip to London.
Speaking to Shetland News, Budge said: “It’s just been an amazing experience to go to Buckingham Palace, to be able to experience that and to be appreciated I suppose for what I did for children’s services for Shetland.”
Budge said she was left “completely overwhelmed by the whole thing” and conceded it was a “complete contrast” to life at the Bigton farm, where she lives.
The former children’s services director was not the only person invited from Shetland.
Mid Yell Junior High School headteacher Mark Lawson in attendance as the longest serving headteacher in Shetland, having racked up nearly 20 years at the school.
He was accompanied by his wife Claire, who is also the headteacher at the Cullivoe Primary School.
Lawson said it was a “great honour” to be asked to represent Shetland’s education system.
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“I was very much down there representing all the great work that happens in our schools,” he added.
The headteacher described it as a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to visit Buckingham Palace.
He said he did not get to speak to royalty but managed a “brief hello” to the King as he walked past.
“I spoke to several of his staff about Shetland and being the most northerly representative there,” Lawson said.
He added that it was a “special day” for both him and his wife, who happens to be the second longest-serving headteacher in Shetland.
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