Two Okehampton couples got the trip of a lifetime when they were invited to attend one of the King’s Coronation garden parties last week in recognition of the charitable work they had done for the town.

Trevor and Christine Munkenbeck and Geoff Penna and his wife attended one of the King’s Coronation garden parties on May 9 where they got the chance to glimpse royalty.

The two couples were nominated for the second of two Coronation garden parties in honour of their work in the community. Mrs Munkenbeck made PPE, such as masks, to protect residents during the covid pandemic while Mr Penna has spent many years raising money for charity. Last March, he took part in the annual Men’s Walk, with a group of family members, to raise money for Hospiscare.

Mrs Munkenbeck said: ‘It was an absolutely wonderful day. We’ve been looking forward to it since February when we first found out.’ She added that they spied the Prince and Princess of Wales in the crowd and even managed to snap a few photographs of the couple.

Mr Penna added: ‘Both of us enjoyed it and we really appreciated it. I do a lot of work for charities but we don’t do it for things like this. It’s a bit expensive to get up there but it’s an experience not to be missed and the gardens are absolutely out of this world. We are really really pleased.’

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester also attended last week’s garden party which was hosted by the Prince of Wales on behalf of the King. To celebrate the Coronation two special garden parties have been hosted this month; the first on May 3, attended by Devon County Councillor Lois Samuel.

This year, 500 people from across the country were chosen as Coronation Champions for outstanding voluntary work in honour of the King’s Coronation year.

Coronation Champions were invited to one of the Coronation events with many invited to one of the Coronation garden parties.