A Princess Comes to Call
A Very Special Day for West Sussex Minibus
West Sussex Minibus was deeply honoured to welcome The Princess of Wales for a very special visit celebrating our service to the local community and our 50th anniversary.
Today was a truly extraordinary and unforgettable day for everyone at West Sussex Minibus, as we had the enormous pleasure of welcoming The Princess of Wales.
Her Royal Highness joined us on our Pulborough minibus, arriving to collect our members as they got ready for their usual Wednesday Lunch Club. She then boarded the minibus and travelled with them to the lunch club in Pulborough, giving her the chance to see first-hand how our service operates and to chat with our delighted members along the way.
It is certainly not every day that our members are ready for their usual Wednesday trip, only to discover that a princess has come to call for them! For everyone on board, it was a truly special surprise — and one that will be talked about for weeks to come.
After arriving at the lunch club, The Princess of Wales stayed to chat with many members and volunteers, making the occasion even more memorable.
A Special Recognition
The visit was particularly meaningful as this year marks 50 years of West Sussex Minibus.
For five decades, our organisation has helped local residents travel to lunch clubs, social activities, outings and a wide range of other trips — helping people remain independent, active and connected to their communities.
We are immensely proud of our 50-year history, and having West Sussex Minibus’ work recognised in this way is an honour and privilege.
We are especially delighted to be recognised alongside Pulborough Lunch Club, which is celebrating its own remarkable 60th anniversary this year.
It was wonderful that these two long-standing community organisations could share such a memorable occasion. Both organisations play an important role in helping residents remain active, independent and connected to their communities. It was particularly fitting that The Princess of Wales could spend much of her visit chatting with so many members of the lunch club.
A Recognition of Everyone Who Makes It Possible.
While the visit was a wonderful moment for West Sussex Minibus, we know that the recognition extends far beyond the organisation itself.
Our volunteers are at the heart of everything we do, and it was particularly special to see them at the centre of today’s visit.
Volunteers give their time week after week, and their commitment enables us to operate our services throughout the year. We were delighted to invite some of our long-standing volunteers to share in this very special occasion and to see their dedication recognised.
We are equally grateful to our supporters, whose generosity and encouragement have helped us continue our work over the years.
The past 50 years have been made possible by the support, time and commitment that so many have given to West Sussex Minibus. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has played a part in our journey and helped us continue supporting our local community.
when they miss a trip or two.
A Day We Will Never Forget
We feel incredibly proud, honoured and grateful to have been part of such a special occasion.
A visit from The Princess of Wales is, of course, an extraordinary event in its own right. But for us, the real significance lies in what the visit represents: recognition of the contribution community organisations and volunteers make every day to local people.
It was a privilege to share what West Sussex Minibus means to our members and community, and we are deeply grateful that our 50 years of service have been recognised in such a remarkable way.
Special memories were made today, and we will treasure them for years to come — not least the wonderful sight of The Princess of Wales arriving to collect our members from their homes before joining them on the minibus for their journey to lunch. It is certainly not every day that a princess comes to call!
The stories, photographs and memories from this very special day will keep us all smiling — and talking — for a very long time to come.
What an extraordinary way to celebrate 50 years of West Sussex Minibus, and what an honour to have our community recognised in this way.