Right royal encounter for the Narrabri VRA

Narrabri’s Volunteer Rescue Association captain Sam Berry has had many memorable moments with the VRA squad, from responding to motor vehicle accidents to snake wrangling encounters, but Tuesday, October 22, 2024 will forever be a standout.

It’s the date he had a royal encounter, shaking hands with King Charles and catching a glimpse of Queen Camilla at a community barbecue held to celebrate volunteers during the royal visit to Australia.

“After over 21 years with various NSW emergency services, this event stands out as my most memorable experience,” said captain Berry, who described “being a volunteer with VRA Rescue NSW as an honour in itself”.

“It truly was an unforgettable day.

“It was a fantastic way to receive recognition, especially since volunteers can often feel overlooked.”

The NSW government welcomed Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla to Sydney this week as part of their tour and in what was described as ‘a celebration of regional NSW’, Their Majesties attended a community barbecue hosted by Premier Chris Minns in Parramatta.

In a break from red carpet rollouts and pomp and ceremony, the King and Queen won the crowd over as they embraced the Aussie way, cooking some snags on a barbie.

The event also showcased produce from NSW with support from the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW.

Invited guests included community leaders, volunteers, and individuals who have excelled in their field.

Captain Berry was thrilled to receive an invitation and represent the VRA and his squad members, who he holds in high regard.

“It was truly an honour, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he told The Courier.

“Being invited by the Premier’s department to represent VRA Rescue NSW was a wonderful recognition of our work.

“I applied to attend on behalf of VRA Rescue NSW, and out of 65 applications, only eight were selected by our Senior Leadership team.

“I was fortunate to be chosen, as the leadership felt my contributions to the Narrabri Rescue Squad had made a positive impact.

“The barbecue showcased the rich multicultural tapestry of our community, with diverse cuisines and cultures represented.

“It was inspiring to see others recognised for their efforts, including Olympians and local heroes, alongside regular community members like myself.

“It was a wonderful celebration of community spirit.”

As for his right royal moment, captain Berry said: “My interaction was brief but significant.

“I was holding up a picture of his Majesty and Queen Camilla which I obtained from federal Member Mark Coulton’s office in hopes to have signed and displayed in the Narrabri VRA station.
“His Majesty noticed it.

“Despite being ushered away by his security team, he said, ‘I don’t do signatures, but I’ll come over and personally sign it with a handshake’.

He also said, ‘I’m surprised you were able to obtain a copy of that’ before walking to the next VRA member.

“It was an incredible experience,” he said.

Captain Berry has confirmed to the The Courier that he has washed his hands since the royal greeting.