Members of Brierfield and Reedley RNLI honour memory of colleague at Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace

Anne Mason had received the invitation to the royal event, along with other members of the Brierfield and Reedley branch of the RNLI, to celebrate the charity’s 200th anniversary and to receive long service awards. But sadly Anne died at the age of 91 just weeks before the party, so her fellow volunteers took along a photo of her as a tribute. Volunteer Diane Flynn said: “We made a promise to Anne’s family that’s what we would do.”

The Brierfield and Reedley branch was established in 1926. Members were delighted when they got the chance to speak to Princess Anne. Diane said: “She asked us which branch we were from, how long we had been volunteering and if we had enjoyed the day. We felt very honoured to be invited to this momentous occasion.