The newly-elected Mayor of Wellington, Cllr Mark Lithgow, attended a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace.
He was nominated to attend by his councillor colleague Andrew Govier who said: “It was an honour to recommend Mark for this prestigious event.
“He has been a dedicated councillor for a number of years and was instrumental in the setting up of the Kings Arms Community Hub.
“In addition, his voluntary work in the community has been immense.
“He is a magistrate, volunteers for the Samaritans, St Margaret’s Hospice, Marie Curie, Bloodbikes, and many other local groups.
“He is ably supported by his wife, Sarah, who is another great community servant, particularly in her many roles within St John Ambulance.”
Cllr Lithgow said: “I felt very honoured to be invited to Buckingham Palace as I was only one of many who worked hard to get the Kings Arms Community Hub up and running.
“We were lucky with the weather on the day and both the King and Queen were in attendance.
“There were about 8,000 people at the party but the gardens were so big that it did not seem crowded, except around the King where everyone was packed in trying to get a photo.
“As I was able to take a guest, I was glad to be accompanied by my wife and consort Sarah who is very supportive of my many voluntary roles and is a keen volunteer herself.”