The Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire felt she could not be happier with how the first county day of its kind went to plan.
Mrs Julie Spence OBE QPM organised the inaugural Cambridgeshire County Day, which included a visit from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
“When we started planning this 18 months ago, the essence was to inspire the next generation,” said Mrs Spence.
“Today (Thursday), there was (approximately) 2,500 children from across the county.”
More than 100 marquees ranging from businesses and charities to sports groups, as well as live entertainment, were present on a sweltering day at the July Course in Newmarket.
School choirs, solo acts and activities including a football shootout, were also on show for schoolchildren as well as adults throughout the day.
During their visit, Mrs Spence guided both William and Kate around some of the stalls and activities on offer, including Elgood’s Brewery of Wisbech.
Here, the royal couple received a gift during their short appearance at the racecourse.
In her event programme notes, Mrs Spence labelled Cambridgeshire County Day as a “once in a lifetime event.
“It is the perfect time to bring the community together to celebrate all that Cambridgeshire has to offer, all while commemorating Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.”
She continued: “After a challenging time for all, it has never been more important for us to give future generations the opportunity to meet future employers when they have missed out on so much.”
There were also plans for a Lord Lieutenant’s garden party as a way of thanking people from across the county for their contributions to their local communities.
Mrs Spence said feedback on the event, held at the course which falls within the Cambridgeshire boundary, has not disappointed as it coincided with 70 years of the Queen’s reign.
“For me, a binding memory would be happy people pleased to be here to showcase what they are doing, so that was an unexpected pleasure,” she said.
“All the feedback has been brilliant.”
Mrs Spence added: “People who would not usually be here, it’s great to see them happy to be here.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here