Annan Food Train mother and daughter attend Duchess of Cambridge's service in Westminster Abbey

Two generations of an Annan family have been given a festive gift they’ll never forget.

Food Train regional manager, Helen McAnespie, and her mum, Margaret Glover, who has been a volunteer with the charity for 15 years, were among 1,200 people invited to attend the Duchess of Cambridge’s Together At Christmas Service in Westminster Abbey which will be broadcast on ITV at 7.30pm on Friday.

They were nominated for the honour by Dumfriesshire Lord Lieutenant, Fiona Armstrong, in recognition of their work for Food Train.

Seated eight rows from the front of the abbey, they had a prime view as the Duchess and her husband, the Duke of Cambridge, mingled with many in the congregation.

Margaret said: “It was a magical experience. Something we will never forget.”

Also in attendance at the service – which is being called Royal Carols: Together At Christmas for the festive TV programme – were the Countess of Wessex and Princess Beatrice, along with Zara and Mike Tindall.

Celebrity guests included singers Leona Lewis and Elli Goulding, comedian Jason Manford and television presenter Kate Garraway.

The Dumfries-based Food Train has been widely praised for the way in which it has coped with the unprecedented demand across the region during the pandemic to ensure older people – many of whom were shielding in their homes during lockdowns – did not go without shopping supplies.

Helen said: “We were delighted and honoured to represent Dumfries and Galloway and Food Train. It was wonderful. The Duke and Duchess spent a lot of time talking to people, which was lovely.

“As a charity, we are really grateful to the Lord Lieutenant for thinking to nominate us and for her support of our work to help older people to live better lives. It means a lot to the whole team. During the first lockdown she was kind enough to record a message to our volunteers, thanking them for their hard work.”