Two senior nurses from Bradford Teaching Hospitals rubbed shoulders with royalty after being invited to Buckingham Palace garden parties this month.
Chanel Robinson, Senior Sister on the Bradford Royal Infirmary’s Acute Stroke Unit and Frankie Hill, Matron for Specialist Medicine, attended the regal occasions after receiving their royal invites.
Chanel attended the first annual garden party of the season on 6 May hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla, who were joined by Princess Anne, The Princess Royal and Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh. She was nominated for the event by Chief Nurse, Karen Dawber.
Chanel said:
The atmosphere at Buckingham Palace was incredible there was a shared sense of pride and achievement amongst all attendees. It was an honour to attend such a special event, and sharing the experience with my mum made it even more meaningful. It was inspiring to be surrounded by so many people who have been recognised for their hard work and commitment.
I am incredibly grateful to our chief nurse for putting me forward to attend the garden party. I feel very fortunate to have had such a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Frankie attended the garden party on 8 May along with 11 members of the ‘Bantams of the Opera’ choir after being put forward by the BBC. The choir was created to celebrate Bradford’s 2025 City of Culture year, as part of a BBC Radio Leeds challenge.
Hosted by the Prince and Princess of Wales, the garden party was held in recognition of their guests’ public service and links to some of the causes that William, Katherine and other royals support throughout the year. Zara Tindall – daughter of Princess Anne – also attended the event, alongside the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh. Guests were able to take a tour of the palace gardens.
Frankie described her invite as a “a real honour” and she was accompanied by close friend, Samantha (Sam) Turner, who experienced unimaginable tragedy at a young age when she lost her mother to cancer aged 11, before losing her father and sister in the Bradford City fire the following year.
Most of the choir members who attended Buckingham Palace were present at the Bradford City game fire on 11 May, 1985.
Frankie said:
The day was amazing. Afternoon tea was served with lemon barley water and two brass bands played a massive variety of music while the Royals toured the crowds.
We saw William and Katherine from a distance. It was a real honour to attend the garden party and a truly unforgettable experience.