A RHUDDLAN man who served with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) for 25 years travelled to London this month to attend a special event.

Charles Porter, known locally as Bill Porter, was invited to attend the Local Veterans Champions reception at 10 Downing Street, hosted by the minister for veterans’ affairs, Johnny Mercer MP.

The event was a heartfelt tribute to the countless volunteers who selflessly dedicate their time and effort to support veterans.

READ MORE:

Rhyl school staff morale was ‘really, really poor’, interim head says

Maintenance work to drain Rhyl’s Marine Lake

Vale of Clwyd MP, James Davies, chose to invite Bill in recognition of the work he does for veterans in the area.

Bill said: “It was a real honour to be invited to attend this reception at Number 10, and I was also delighted to have a tour of Westminster, which was fascinating.

"It was an absolute pleasure to meet James and the minister, Johnny Mercer MP. The whole day was an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.”

Dr Davies added: “I was extremely pleased and proud to nominate Bill as a Local Veterans Champion at Downing Street.

“Bill served with the REME for 25 years. He set up a weekly drop-in session in Rhyl in conjunction with Woody’s Lodge, offering a safe space for veterans.

"It is open every Tuesday 10am to midday at the Salvation Army on Windsor Street, Rhyl, and is the busiest Woody's Lodge hub, with around 20 to 30 people attending each week.

“They also arrange for other activities throughout the week when they have funding. Bill also raises money for veteran charities, recently completing the Manchester Marathon.

“He is well respected in the local community and it was great to welcome him to Parliament before the reception to hear more about his experiences serving in the REME - and for a quick tour.

“We are extremely fortunate to have so many volunteers in our communities dedicated to supporting our veterans and their families and the reception was an excellent opportunity to applaud them all.”