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Norwood’s 70 years of Royal Partronage As the only Jewish charity to have the honour of The Queen as our patron, Norwood has always been incredibly proud of our long association with Her Majesty and the wider Royal Family. Our staff and the people we support have enduring memories of her visits to our services over the years, and of the warmth and grace she shows, and which have characterised her reign. Residents like Julian, who remembers The Queen arriving for her last visit to our Adult Services in 2008. He was a part of a crowd chosen to form her official welcoming part waving flags. Not everyone could accompany her on her visit inside, due to security reasons, so the people we support and staff all lined the driveway to greet her with banners and cheering. Julian was introduced to The Queen as a part of a line. They were told ahead of time they didn’t have to bow or curtsey, but Julian elected to bow. Julian showed her his easy-read contract and explained easy read to her. He remembers her being extremely interested in what he had to say, which Norwood Honorary Vice President David Ereira corroborates. He remembers that whilst the visit had been styled as a formal one ahead of time, The Queen had made it clear that she didn’t want any pomp and ceremony or to meet the great and good of our community, she really wanted to meet the residents. She arrived with her lady in waiting and a sergeant at arms and that was it. She came in and the first thing she
31 MAY 2022
did was to walk over to some of our residents who were in wheelchairs and she introduced herself to them in the most wonderful, warm way. She said ‘thank you for having me, I’m so pleased to be with you today and I can see that everyone’s happy and it’s a very joyful place’.” Throughout Norwood’s 226-year history, it’s enjoyed the patronage of successive members of the Royal family, beginning with the Duke of Sussex in 1815. On acceding to the throne in 1952, The Queen upheld the precedent set by four former sovereigns, including her late father King George VI, of becoming royal patron of the organisation previously known as The Jews’ Hospital and Orphan Asylum. The Queen’s visits have become a significant part of our charity’s history. Her first in 1985 was to attend a reception at London’s Guildhall to mark the 190th anniversary of the charity. Her second visit in 2008 saw her meet with staff and people Norwood supports and to open a new residential home for adults with profound and multiple learning disabilities. As the people we support gather in their homes to pay tribute to our patron’s magnificent 70-year reign, with a Jubilee bingo, crafts, quiz and cream tea, they’ll be celebrating our shared history and commitment to making progress to achieving a truly inclusive society, where people with a range of learning disabilities and autism are supported to live fulfilling and meaningful lives at the heart of their communities.
70 Trees dedicated by JNF UK to Celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
The avenue of 70 trees from JNF UK
JNF UK have dedicated 70 trees in an avenue in Be’er Sheva in honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. JNF UK has planted millions of trees across Israel, turning barren wastelands into thriving forests. Our urban forestation
projects focus on the planting of mature trees in towns, cities, and communities across Israel’s Negev, beautifying the area, providing shelter as well helping to reduce the effects of global warming. In 2022 the Queen became the first British
Monarch to celebrate 70 years of dedicated and unstinting service to the people of the United Kingdom, the British Overseas Territories and the Commonwealth Samuel Hayek, Chairman of JNF UK commented “The Queen has given her
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blessing and support to numerous projects in Israel over many years, and JNF UK is delighted and honoured to celebrate this extraordinary and historic milestone with a special tribute to her unprecedented and remarkable reign”.
