Dedicated hospital volunteer meets The Queen at Windsor Castle

A dedicated volunteer at the West Suffolk Hospital, in Bury St Edmunds, has been one of 200 people who have attended Windsor Castle to meet The Queen in a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Ron Knight, pictured above,also met The Princess Royal and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester at the prestigious reception yesterday, Tuesday, April 2.

The Queen paid tribute to the nation’s volunteers, hosting more than 200 guests from voluntary organisations.

The event celebrated the 100^thanniversary of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), of which The Queen is a patron.

Ron was born on Christmas Day 1930 and served in the Royal Marines during the Korean War. He married Betty, a nurse, in 1956 and they went on to have two children together.

The 88-year-old has always been active and has for many years been a keen distance runner – running the first ever London Marathon in 1981.

In 1999 he was diagnosed with stomach cancer but after only a year after finishing his treatment he returned to marathon running again, running 38 in total over his lifetime.

In 2001, Ron’s beloved wife Betty was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and he cared for her full-time at home before she sadly passed away in 2008.

He said: “I was devastated when I lost Betty, after 52 years of marriage. I felt like I didn’t have any direction in my life and happened to see an opportunity to volunteer at the West Suffolk Hospital in the eye treatment centre.

“The rest is history – supporting patients and staff in the eye injection clinic has given me a new sense of structure and purpose to my life for the last 10 years. I offer reassurance and comfort to all the patients during their injection procedure, and help them if they’re feeling anxious or apprehensive.”

During his time at the hospital as a volunteer, Ron has also had to cope with the tragic loss of his grandson and daughter – again, Ron cites the hospital staff he volunteers with and his role at the hospital as the support that sustained him through these difficult times.

It was his unwavering dedication and service to his local NHS hospital that made him stand out to be invited to meet The Queen and tell her about his role.

He added: “Meeting The Queen was a real honour and was one of the highlights of my life. It really was terrific and I’m appreciative to everyone who made it happen. She was very kind and made me feel welcome and thought it was good that our patients have someone to comfort them through a difficult procedure.

“I am very proud of West Suffolk Hospital – it was rated outstanding in the most recent Care Quality Commission report and I believe it truly is. It’s so nice to be a small part of such a successful team. I will continue to volunteer as long as I am able and encourage others to do so too. It is so rewarding and has given me satisfaction and a feeling of self-worth.”

Ian Mckee, voluntary services manager at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are so proud of Ron and truly happy he was given such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet The Queen at Windsor Castle. It is well-deserved and both our staff and patients appreciate Ron’s kindness and hard work to help those around him. He is definitely West Suffolk royalty in our eyes.”

If you would like to volunteer at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, please contact the team on 01284 713169.