A Llanvetherine man nominated for his services to the local community enjoyed a day out with his wife at a Buckingham Palace garden party recently.

David Jones has been treasurer and church warden of St James the Elder church in the village for 35 years and has represented Llanvetherine on Grosmont Community Council for a similar length of time.

The historic church, which is mentioned in the Book of Llandaff written around 1150, is dear to his heart.

“My wife Shirley (nee Lane) and I got married there in days when it was not in a very good state of repair,” he said. “Both our children Bethan and Gareth were married there and three of our four grandchildren were christened there - with the fourth christening coming up in August!

When it comes to fund-raising David says he and Shirley have always worked as a team.

“Over the years we’ve organised all sorts of events to help with the church’s upkeep and to ensure it stays open - and we’re most grateful for all the support we’ve received from local residents,” he said.

Those events have included whist drives, local horse shows, draws and quizzes, a Mr and Mrs evening, local talent shows, concerts, strawberry teas, coffee evenings and cheese and wine evenings.

David says the invitation to Buckingham Palace came as a complete surprise.

“I had a call in January saying I had been nominated and in April an envelope was pushed through the door from the Lord Chamberlain’s office saying ‘Her Majesty requests…’

“There were 7,000 to 8,000 guests. We only saw the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh in the distance but we had a lovely walk round the garden, reading plaques on the trees that had been given to the Queen as gifts over the years.

“It’s quite a surreal experience because the trees make it feel like a rural setting but then you catch sight of a skyscraper rising above them and hear the noise of the city outside the walls!

“It was a wonderful, once in a lifetime experience for us. But it was a bitter-sweet occasion really because it was the day after the Manchester bombing, so we were all aware that one of the best days of our lives was one of the worst days for others.”