Nicky Male, a dedicated Tesco colleague from Chard, has been honoured with an invitation to Buckingham Palace in recognition of her exceptional community work. With 23 years at the local Tesco Superstore, Nicky is a well-known figure in the town for her passionate support of community projects.
Each year, over 30,000 individuals across the UK are invited to the King’s Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace or Holyroodhouse to celebrate their service to the community. Nicky, however, remains puzzled over who nominated her for this prestigious event held on Wednesday, May 7. More than a month later, she is eager to uncover the identity of her mysterious well-wisher.
Reflecting on the experience, Nicky shared, “I love my job. Helping the community gives me such a buzz. Meeting so many amazing people involved in charities and good causes is truly inspiring. Attending a Royal Garden Party was the icing on the cake.”
She added, “The invitation came as a complete surprise. When I received a call from the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset’s secretary, my first thought was that my sister was playing a prank. It was an amazing day.”
Nicky hopes her nominator will read this story and get in touch. “I’d love to meet the person who nominated me so I can thank them properly. It’s such an honour to be recognised for my community work. Visiting Buckingham Palace was a once-in-a-lifetime experience I’ll never forget.”
Nicky serves as the local ‘community champion’ for Tesco’s Stronger Starts scheme, which collaborates with the charity Groundwork to support a variety of community initiatives. These range from funding youth clubs and playground equipment to supporting food banks, brownies or scouts, children’s hospices, and more.
If you have voted for any local projects by using Tesco’s blue counters, you have contributed to this vital scheme. Those interested in applying for funding for a community project can contact Nicky at the Tesco Superstore in Chard or reach out via the scheme’s Facebook page.