Page 123 - RSDG Year of 2022 CREST

inspirational establishment that teaches youngsters canoeing and paddle boarding. At the end of my row I opened a bottle of champagne and toasted ‘Her Majesty’ with friends and onlookers. A very happy and enjoyable day with generous donations from those walking on the tow path. On the 5th June my wife and I were invited to ‘The Big Jubilee Lunch at the Oval cricket ground. We were surprised and delighted to learn, on arrival, that the then HRH The Prince of Wales, now His Majesty King Charles III and his wife would be attending. I was wearing my Union Jack suit that I had bought at the beginning of the year with the intention of wearing throughout the coming year as a fitting tribute to Her Late Majesty’s special year. It was not surprising that King Charles, seeing the suit, stopped to talk on his way round the tables. He was well briefed and had been told of my rowing exploits, but was a little surprised when I asked if I could row my boat in the lake at the rear of Buckingham Palace! His reply, “That sounds an interesting idea” and laughed, which I took as the Royal way of saying “No - get back in your box”!
Later in the month I was asked if I would like to be filmed for the TV programme ‘Country File’ to highlight the plight of the Ukrainians refugees living
in Hampshire. I was delighted to accept and to be part of the programme. The filming was in Beaulieu village, an ideal place to film, such a pretty village with the stunning scenery and lack of any recent development. Here I was filmed by a drone which produced some stunning aerial pictures of the river and the surrounding area.
It had been my intention at the beginning of the year to row across the Solent. My wish to find an escort boat was taken up by the Chichester Observer and it immediately produced several gallant individuals who were happy to help. The generous offer by Dale Toms who owns a 9.5 metre rib was accepted, and how lucky I was to meet and make friends with Dale and his wife Rachel. My crossing of the Solent from Hurst Castle to Colwell Bay took place on the 23rd July. The three of us left Hythe Marina in Southampton water at 4.30 in the morning to arrive at Hurst Castle in time to prepare my boat and begin the crossing at 6.30am. On the way to the Castle we stopped, half-way down the Solent, and had a moments silence looking at the most beautiful sunrise over the Eastern horizon, a gentle breeze was blowing from the West and the water was calm, a perfect morning to cross the Solent - all was at peace! Having arrived at Colwell Bay after a trouble-
HRH The Prince of Wales meeting Mick Stanley at the Big Lunch
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