“Shocked and honoured” was Lucy Brenkley’s reaction when she discovered she’d been recognised in the King’s New Year Honours List.
And almost six months after opening that letter – bearing the On His Majesty’s Service branding no less – the stunning news still hasn’t quite sunk in.
Lucy, from Barnard Castle, recently attended a ceremony at which she was presented with her BEM (Medallist of the Order of the British Empire) for services to forestry.
That honour was accompanied by an invitation to a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, which she attended with her mother Susan.
It’s fair to say it’s been a whirlwind start to the year for Lucy, who works for Forestry England at Chopwell Wood, near Gateshead.
“I’m just doing my job so I’m genuinely shocked and really honoured, I definitely didn’t expect it,” she told the Mercury.
“It still doesn’t feel real six months after I found out about the honour.”
Lucy assists people with mild-to-moderate health conditions to meet new people and become more active through a programme she helped to create called ‘Feel Good in the Forest’.
Looking back to the December day she discovered she was being honoured, she said: “My dad handed me a letter which had On His Majesty’s Service printed on it and when I opened it said I was being awarded a British Empire Medal for services to forestry.
“I honestly feel like I have just been doing a job that I love and Forestry England has allowed me the freedom to create a brilliant project from scratch to genuinely meet people’s needs.
“If my efforts have enabled even just one person the opportunity to see the benefits of the nation’s forests then it has all been worthwhile. It is a full team effort and I owe everyone thanks for that.”
The Buckingham Palace Garden Party was attended by the King and Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the King’s nieces Zara Tindall and Princess Eugenie.
“It was a lovely sunny day and I was able to speak briefly to Zara and Eugenie,” said Lucy. “I also saw the other members of the Royal Family, it was wonderful.”
While she was only able to take one guest to Buckingham Palace, Lucy was accompanied by her immediate family when she received her BEM from Lord Lieutenant of County Durham Sue Snowdon at an event in Crook.
“I felt truly humbled by receiving the BEM,” said Lucy, who was accompanied by her parents Susan and Peter, her sister Rachael, her grandma Betty Finch, her aunt Christine Earl and her friend Fleur Sanderson.
