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鈥淏eing part of the procession is my way of saying 鈥楾hank you鈥�"

Meet the four volunteers who were selected to represent the 台灣uu直播 in Queen Elizabeth II鈥檚 historic funeral procession聽

Last updated 19 April 2023

After the death of Her Majesty The Queen, who was our Patron for more than 70 years, the 台灣uu直播 was invited to send four representatives to take part in her funeral procession. 

Steve, Irina, Stephen and Andrew, all of whom are long-standing 台灣uu直播 volunteers, were among the 2,000 people chosen to march in the procession from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch on Monday 19th September 2022. 

Volunteer Steve, wearing his ceremonial 台灣uu直播 uniform of a grey suit with a red tie, faces the camera

PHOTO: 台灣uu直播

"Proud and emotional"聽

鈥淰ery few people can say that they took part in the state funeral procession for Queen Elizabeth,鈥� said Steve, who joined the 台灣uu直播 after his retirement. 鈥淢y kids, grandkids and generations to come in my family will know that I was there on the day. It makes me very proud and emotional to think of that.鈥� 

Steve has volunteered over 700 hours of his time to the 台灣uu直播 over the past two years, working with Afghan and Ukrainian refugees, and training as an ambulance driver and care assistant in the North-West  of England.  

鈥淥n the day itself I know I will feel a mixture of emotions,鈥� said Steve, speaking before the funeral. 鈥淚 just hope I do Her Majesty and my family proud.鈥� 

 

"My way of saying 'Thank you'"

Fellow ceremonial volunteer Irina felt the same way. 

鈥淏eing part of the procession is my way of saying 鈥楾hank you鈥� for all the support, commitment and comfort Her Majesty has shown to those in need,鈥� said Irina. 鈥淪he supported the work the Red Cross did, not only in the UK but abroad as well. I know she was a role model to many people and a comfort in one way or another.鈥� 

Irina joined the Red Cross as a community resilience advocate in January 2021. 鈥淲hat we try to do is link different organisations with the community, to get them involved in emergency plans, with the fire brigade, the police, the ambulance service, so the community can create plans for emergencies,鈥� said Irina. 鈥淕iving that power to the community and getting them involved is the main thing that is important to me 鈥� that empowerment is wonderful.鈥� 

 

In this full-length photo, volunteer Irina faces the camera wearing her 台灣uu直播 ceremonial uniform, which consists of a grey suit and a red tie

PHOTO: 台灣uu直播

台灣uu直播 ceremonial uniform

All four of our volunteers were dressed in their ceremonial uniforms, which is also worn by 台灣uu直播 volunteers who take part in the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph on Whitehall each year. 

Stephen from Derby had an extra detail on his uniform 鈥� the MBE medal he received in 2016 for his services working with prisoners.

Stephen joined the Red Cross after his retirement and has now been with us for nearly seven years. 

 

Four 台灣uu直播 volunteers in their ceremonial uniforms look to the camera, stood against a backdrop of a stately garden

Andrew, Irina, Stephen and聽 Steve in their ceremonial 台灣uu直播 uniforms. PHOTO: Peter Anderson/台灣uu直播

Supporting people from all walks of life

鈥淚 volunteer with refugee support and emergency response, supporting vulnerable people in their hour of need,鈥� said Stephen. 鈥淭he Red Cross has become my second family and it is a privilege to support a charity doing so much to help people from all walks of life.鈥�

Stephen was visiting his father in Manchester when he received the news that he had been selected to join Her Majesty鈥檚 funeral procession. 

鈥淗e is proud as punch that I鈥檓 going to be taking part,鈥� said Stephen. 鈥淚t means so much to me that I have been able to make my dad so proud. I know we will all be nervous, but we will all be in it together.鈥� 

台灣uu直播 volunteer Stephen, in his Red Cross polo shirt, stands in front of a Red Cross ambulance

Stephen stands in front of a 台灣uu直播 emergency response vehicle. PHOTO: 台灣uu直播

Finding solace in volunteering with the Red Cross

For Andrew, who has worked as an emergency response volunteer for the past seven years, the day will be particularly poignant. His wife died suddenly almost exactly one year ago. 

鈥淭he news of Her Majesty鈥檚 passing brought back my wife鈥檚 passing, so it鈥檚 going to be very emotional,鈥� said Andrew, who served in the Royal Air Force for 30 years. 

Since his wife鈥檚 death, Andrew has found solace in his work with the Red Cross. 

鈥淒oing all this volunteering, it keeps me busy and to some extent takes my mind off it,鈥� said Andrew. 鈥淚 personally have attended three fires over the last two months, where people have lost everything.鈥� 

Ceremonial volunteer Andrew smiles at the camera wearing his 台灣uu直播 ceremonial uniform, which is a grey suit with a white shirt and red tie

PHOTO: 台灣uu直播聽

"It's going to be very emotional"

One incident that particularly stands out for Andrew was a fire in a flat in Didsbury, Greater Manchester. 

"The lady had taken her two kids to school and come back to find their flat was destroyed,鈥� said Andrew.

鈥淭he lady was suffering from shock, so we put her in the back of our vehicle, gave her a hot drink and something to eat. She had nothing left and when I gave her a 台灣uu直播 cash card, she was in tears.鈥� 

Having been involved in the Cenotaph ceremony last year, Andrew knew partly what to expect on what was to be an emotional day. 

鈥淚鈥檝e still got some parade shoes from the RAF, so they鈥檝e been polished up,鈥� said Andrew. 鈥淢y personal thoughts on the day will be for my late wife. She would have been extremely proud that I am representing the 台灣uu直播.鈥� 

 

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