Following the announcement that Vivien Jones, Founder and Honorary President of the Nystagmus Network, had been awarded an MBE in His Majesty’s New Year Honours, Vivien and her family travelled to London to receive the honour at Buckingham Palace on 26 June. Vivien takes up the story:
“We arrived at the Palace in good time and were guided to the Picture Gallery, which is full of old masters – Rubens, Rembrandt and Canaletto. We spent plenty of time inspecting them while waiting for our turn to go through to meet HRH The Princess Royal who was – literally – doing the honours.
“My family – husband Ian, sons Sam and Max – stood nearby when the award was made. Princess Anne asked about the origins of the charity and we talked about how important it was for people with a health condition and their families to be able to talk to others with the same condition. She was charming.
“After that, it was photographs to remember the day. We celebrated with a glass of bubbly at a London hotel before making our way home.
“It was a wonderful day and one I’ll never forget. The award means a lot to me but I also hope that staff and volunteers see it as recognition of their very hard work in making the charity what it is today.”
Congratulations Vivien Jones MBE
