Last Wednesday I had the pleasure of joining a group of our members on a trip to the 137th annual Sandringham Flower Show, along with my fellow co-hosts Jane and Wendy.
Our coach arrived promptly to pick up the majority of our members at our Head Office. The early morning sunshine, beautiful as it was, also brought with it a blast of hot, muggy air which gave no relief to those waiting outside as the coach arrived. So we were understandably eager to retreat into the cool, comfortable air-conditioned coach to hand out ‘goody bags’, water and hand fans to our members.
Once we were en route I introduced myself and my colleagues, and then sat back and enjoyed the pleasant journey to Sandringham through the rolling fields of Suffolk and Norfolk. Once we arrived we handed out the tickets and maps as our members dispersed, going off alone or in smaller groups to investigate and enjoy the Show.
There was certainly no shortage of activities and things to do, from watching the dog and falconry displays to simply enjoying the varied and beautiful horticulture on display. We browsed the rows of crafts, food and drink stands - and of course, the absolute highlight of my day was meeting HRH Prince Charles, shaking the hand of the future king as we discussed how hot it was in the marquee!
I also had the pleasure of touring the church and museum, taking in many centuries of royal tradition and history as I did so. As the afternoon drew to a close, members began returning to the coach as we began our journey back to Ipswich. Despite the heat and humidity, it was a fantastic day out and very much enjoyed by our members – I hope to be able to host another event one day soon!
What members said
"We both enjoyed the day immensely. We got to shake the hands of Charles and Camilla which made my wife's day! Thanks to the IBS for arranging such fantastic days, long may it continue."
Mr & Mrs F
"Thank you for arranging such a lovely day out at Sandringham which we very much enjoyed. We know it takes a lot of work behind the scenes to put on such a day. We were all well looked after by the friendly IBS staff. Also the refreshments both going and returning home were very welcome, what a nice touch."
Mr & Mrs W
"Very enjoyable day, well organised and excellent value for money. Coach was great, the staff were lovely."
Mrs F
