Julia Karpa- Barnet Hospital Volunteer 2018/19
On the 2nd April Julia attended the centenary celebrations for The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO). Hosted by Her Majesty The Queen, the reception brought together people within the UK charity sector and volunteers of all ages to highlight the achievements of voluntary action in the UK over the last 100 years. Julia wanted to share her experience of the day... How did you feel when you found out? When I was invited to the NCVO reception at Windsor Castle, which was to be hosted by Her Majesty the Queen, I was incredibly excited. Tell us about your volunteering As an arts and crafts volunteer at Barnet Hospital, every Wednesday I visit the different wards at the hospital and make a range of things including cards, tissue paper flowers and seasonal decorations with patients. It’s a fun role and a great break from studying. I felt extremely grateful to The Royal Free Charity for selecting me to attend such a special event. I also thought it was very kind of The Queen to recognise the role of volunteers and charities with a reception at her castle. So what happened on the day? I arrived at Windsor Castle with Emma (The Young Volunteer Programme Manager). I have only ever visited Windsor once (when I went to Legoland as a child), so this was my first time seeing the castle. The castle grounds were beautiful and there were a lot of daffodils everywhere. After we put our stuff in the cloakroom, we entered a large room which was full of portraits. The staff were very welcoming and friendly, and we were offered drinks with a range of sweet and savoury canapes. We chatted with volunteers from other organisations- it was great to find out what kinds of things other people are involved in. It was especially nice to meet a few people who volunteer in North London (where I live).
Did you see the Queen? After a while we were told to form a line- nobody really knew where we would be taken or what to expect. It turned out we were lining up to meet The Queen! I think it was a surprise for everyone. The Queen wore an eye-catching, bright aqua blue skirt and suit. All the guests got an opportunity to shake the Queen’s hand and have a photo taken with her. We then entered an even bigger reception room where I and a few other people were pulled to the side by NCVO. We were told that we would meet The Queen properly and have a short conversation with her. We stood in a semi-circle (Julia is in the above tweet) and The Queen approached us individually and asked us questions. I was asked what I do, where I volunteer and how long I have been volunteering for. She seemed lovely and showed genuine interest in what I do. It was a real privilege to meet her and I admire how she has been involved in so much charitable activity throughout her life. I went back to chatting with the other volunteers after The Queen left. The staff kept bringing more plates of colourful canapes which tasted really good, the whole atmosphere was great. Princess Anne was also at the reception and I got a chance to speak with her too and tell her about my arts and crafts role. The evening passed quickly and the whole event was an amazing experience.
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