RSVP’s Rosemary Fletcher MBE joins Royal Garden Party

Rosemary is a long-standing volunteer for our award-winning Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP).  As an active volunteer organiser for the project in Forth Valley, she supports a variety of projects in local schools and hospitals. Having been nominated by a colleague, Rosemary was invited to a Royal Garden Party in Edinburgh, which took place on 29th June 2022, before the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

“Towards the end of 2019, I was nominated by John Brown to attend a Royal Garden Party in Edinburgh. Then along came Covid-19 and Garden Parties planned for 2020 were postponed, and the same happened in 2021. But in 2022 they restarted, and I received my invitation earlier this year. Inevitably there is a dress code for a royal occasion such as this, so it was a question of deciding what outfit and hat I would wear. The weather forecast was not at all good with the likelihood of showers all day. However, there was no need to use an umbrella as the sun shone throughout.Rosemary RSVP Volunteer standing at the Royal Garden PartyQuote that says, As I entered the gardens a pipe band was playing as was also the Band of The Royal Regiment of Scotland and the Royal Marine Band of Scotland.

Royal Garden Parties in Scotland are held on the grounds of the Palace of Holyrood House, the Queen’s official residence in Scotland. She was” at home” but did not attend. I wonder if she was watching from the window as her family walked through the crowds. Members of the Royal Company of Archers, the Queen’s bodyguard for Scotland, formed lanes for King Charles III, then Prince Charles. Also attending were Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, and Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, together with the Earl and Countess of Wessex. The Archers picked out people in the crowd at random to come forward and be presented to a member of the Royal family—but they didn’t summon me! As I entered the gardens a pipe band was playing as was also the Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and the Royal Marine Band of Scotland.

Afternoon tea was just as it is meant to be; fingers of cucumber, egg or cheese sandwiches, miniature scones with cream and jam, and a wide selection of delicate little cakes. It was an event to remember although I didn’t meet any Royalty. It was fascinating just people-watching and wandering around the immaculately tended gardens (not a weed in sight).”

If you would like to find out more about RSVP and the work that Rosemary and the other RSVP volunteers carry out for their communities, please click here