Civic duty for Lord Lieutenant Cadet
24.10.11
This news article has been written by Cdt SSgt H Googe
The sun was shining and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, the perfect day for my first Lord Lieutenant’s cadet duty.
As it was my first, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, though I was very excited. I arrived at St. Mary-the-Virgin Church with my parents and my godmother to be greeted by Tudor characters, specifically yeoman, at the church door.
I greeted the Lord Lieutenant with a salute on his arrival and we were then lead into the church – where we were welcomed by the Mayor and Mayoress of Wivenhoe and Reverend Erwin, who performed the service.
Inside the church I was seated on the front pew next to the local MP Bernard Jenkin.
During the service we were treated to readings from the Mayor of Wivenhoe, Counsellor Robert Needham and from Sue Jones, a churchwoman of the town.
Following a moving rendition of our National Anthem, we retired to the William Loveless Hall for refreshments and to view a beautiful selection of ‘Wivenhoe Memories’ – staged by John Stewart.
After a while of explaining to the locals that I’m a cadet and not a regular soldier, it was time to go home. The Lord Lieutenant said his goodbyes and we wandered outside. I presented him with a salute and joined my family to make my journey home, full of joy and stories of a proud day.
