Our Patron was Her Majesty The Queen
Her Majesty the Queen, supported our work from 1946 to 2022.
The Queen became our patron shortly after her first visit to St Loye’s (as Step One was formerly known) in 1946, as Princess Royal, and we welcomed her on several visits over the years to open facilities and meet our staff.
Step One Charity is honoured to have had the continued support of The Queen. We enjoyed Her Majesty The Queen’s patronage for 75 years, and we are immensely grateful for her continued commitment to our work in supporting people with mental health issues and hidden disabilities to live more independently.
In her Diamond Jubilee year in 2010, The Queen visited our Exeter offices with His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh.
In 2016, our trustees and fundraising supporters were delighted to attend The Patron’s Lunch at The Mall in London. The lunch marked the Queen’s 90th birthday, and organisations and charities who enjoy the Queen’s patronage were invited to attend the celebration.
We were honoured to have a representative from Step One Charity attend the late Queen Elizabeth’s funeral on Monday 19th September 2022.
Sue Sutherland, OBE, Chair of Trustees at Step One Charity, comments on her attendance:
“I felt so privileged to be able to represent Step One at Her Majesty’s state funeral. She has been our Patron since 1946 and it was an opportunity to give thanks and express our gratitude for her unstinting support over so many years.
It was a momentous occasion and so well organised. I was sat in the Nave and although the guests in the Abbey included so many Heads of State and other VIPs, it felt very much as if we were all equals and humbled by the event.
The service focused very much on Her Majesty’s inspiring service to the Nation and the Commonwealth and her commitment to the causes she held dear, which of course included Step One. It was such an honour to be there.
It was a very emotional experience, with the most heartfelt moment being the Queen’s Piper playing ‘Sleep Dearie Sleep’ as the congregation left Westminster Abbey.”
Simply, thank you Your Royal Highness for your years of service and devotion to us all.
