Meeting my Hero

Friday 17th June was a special day. For six months I had been working (with my team) on a 70th Birthday Celebration Event for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and on Friday, it all became a reality. This was by far the biggest event of this kind I have ever organised with 1,200 paying guests, a reception for 70 important friends of the Trust and one truly special guest.....Sir David Attenborough!

The day went incredibly well -apart from the delayed trains -and everybody in the staff team and the membership who came along seemed delighted, so all the stress was worth it. For me, it was an incredible day and at times quite emotional. I will never get over the powerfully-moving standing ovation Sir David received at the end of his part in the proceedings. It felt like we were channelling the whole nation's love, respect and gratitude for him at that moment, and in a melancholy sort of a way, it also felt a bit like our personal farewell, as many of us will never have the opportunity to meet him again. He was and is a true gentleman and inspiration.

I have so many highlights from the day. Meeting Sir David off the train at York station, walking him into a hall to greet all of my YWT colleagues, helping show him round Askham Bog during the afternoon, where I conducted an interview in front of the cameras (bit scary that bit!) and of course his speech and then Q&A session. He was simply brilliant.

Here's me and Alastair Fitter with David in Askham Bog.