Buckingham Palace garden party invite for Newbury College manager Jane West
A Newbury College manager has spent a day at Buckingham Palace – and even got to see the King and Queen, writes Martha White.
Jane West, the registry manager at the college, said she had “an unforgettable” experience this week when she attended a royal garden party at Buckingham Palace.
She was invited in recognition of her long standing service to education and the local community.
She said: “It was a real honour to attend the event and be recognised in such a unique way.
“The atmosphere in the gardens was incredible - the attention to detail, the hospitality, and the setting were all exceptional.
“It was a privilege to represent the college among so many others who contribute to their communities.”
She was welcomed to the gardens of Buckingham Palace, along with other guests from across the UK who had all been nominated for their contributions to public life, education volunteering and community service.
Mrs West and the other guests were welcomed to the event by a military brass band and a traditional afternoon tea was served on the palace’s fine china.
The National Anthem was played when King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived on the terrace, before they made their way through the gardens to meet with guests.
Mrs West was nominated for her work in the college’s MIS and exams teams, where she provides direct support to students and families.
She also oversees the college’s contribution to Newbury in Bloom, which earned silver gilt and gold awards in recent years.
The college said that as part of this, she has spearheaded initiatives that provide “meaningful, real world learning experiences to students on the foundation learning programmes, such as a stall in the Newbury market where students sell produce that is grown in the college gardens”.
This year’s stall raised nearly £300, which will support other college projects and activities.
Mrs West also previously joined the Partners for Active Leisure Scheme (PALS) in 2011, supporting the charity and becoming a trustee in 2014, “making a huge difference to the lives of many local children with physical disabilities and their families”.
She has also been show secretary for Bucklebury Horticultural Society since 2010, where she works to encourage younger members of the community to become involved in gardening and nature.
The college added that Mrs West’s “colleagues and the students at Newbury College, as well as the countless people she has supported in the local community, deeply appreciate her dedication and the difference she makes every day”.
