The stalwart volunteers of Cossor’s Shop in Pewsey put their glad rags on and headed to Buckingham Palace on Tuesday for a garden party.

Volunteers Jackie Giddings and Brenda Andrews, who retired from the charity shop in October, and Di Stephens were nominated by Rodger Pope for their ten years of fundraising in the shop.

Mr Pope opened The Cossor’s shop ten years ago, named after the nickname of the late Cliff Goldsworthy who ran the carnival’s annual sale and auction.

Since then the volunteers have raised tens of thousands of pounds for the carnival as well of donating to local charities including Wiltshire Air Ambulance, Naomi House and Prospect Hospice.

Mrs Stephens said: “It was a lovely day. The fashion and the colours were amazing.

“We all poshed up, we scrubbed up very well. There were quite a lot of people, family and volunteers, to wave us off. The Queen and the family walked past us Prince Philip smiled. We were really close to them.”

The three found out they would be going to the palace just after Christmas but only received the official invitation six weeks ago.