A North East charity champion is set for a once in a lifetime opportunity - because she's one of 200 people who received the Queen 's Birthday Honours this year to be invited to her funeral.
Lynn McManus is the founder of the Pathways 4 All charity and the Tim Lamb Centre which offers leisure and activities for children with disabilities and additional needs. She's heading down to London to pay her respects to the late monarch on Monday.
Lynn is also planning to head to the famous Dorchester Hotel to mark Queen Elizabeth's passing with a special high tea. She said: "It's a huge honour, a real once-in-a-lifetime situation that will never be repeated. It's huge for us. It's difficult to think, with it being a sad occasion though.
Read more: Queen's funeral to be shown on big screen in Newcastle city centre
"It will obviously be an incredibly emotional day but it will be just such an honour to be there. We have been sitting watching the news over these sad days thinking what a big occasion it is, and now I'm actually going to be there."
Lynn said that she had had a phone call over the weekend from the Cabinet Office explaining what was happening. She added: "I have been talking to people about it and they've probably been thinking I'm going to go stand in the crowds - but I'll actually be sat there! We've said because it's such a once-in-a-lifetime thing, we'll go for high tea at the Dorchester afterwards and raise a glass to the Queen."
More than a decade ago, Lynn spearheaded a charity fundraising drive to help establish the centre, based in the Rising Sun Country Park, which opened in 2012. She has a long history of fundraising, and with husband Terry has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds - and never taken wages or expenses for her work at Pathways 4 All.
Lynn, of Preston Grange, was made an MBE in June for services to children with disabilities. In the past she has been given a number of awards including a Pride of the North East award and even a national Mum of the Year gong.
She said that the charity was going from "strength to strength". "We are supporting 2,000 families from across the North East and as far afield as Cumbria - and at the minute we are really trying to get the funding together for respite lodges for families."
Downing Street announced how some of those to be among the last group to receive honours from the Queen before her death last week will take their seats among key members of the Royal family and leaders from all over the world in Westminster Abbey on Monday.
In a statement this morning, the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said: "I can confirm that among the guests who have been invited to attend will be almost 200 people who were recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours this year, that was in June.
"These individuals drawn from across the UK were recognised for their extraordinary contributions in areas including the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, people who volunteered in their communities, charity workers and those who work in healthcare, education and the wider public sector."
READ NEXT:
- Horrifying' North East suicide rate is twice as bad as London's - amid further calls for Levelling Up of mental health
- Where you can join hundreds in leaving a lasting tribute to the Queen in Newcastle
- BBC to air Paddington on evening of Queen's funeral in nod to much loved Jubilee sketch
- Denise Welch calls out 'double standards' on Harry and Meghan abuse
- Sky News confirm 5am start for Queen's funeral coverage
