Stephen White writes, “As chairman of the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC Foundation, established “to mark the sacrifices and honour the achievements of the RUC”, I was delighted to invite our trustees & volunteers, along with some VIP guests to join us on 4th September for a special occasion.
Twenty three years ago that week, our Royal Patron, His Majesty King Charles (then HRH The Prince of Wales) opened the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC Memorial Garden.
So, we were delighted that His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant for the County Borough of Belfast officially opened our new Garden Room.
Almost every day we welcome visitors to our Garden’s History Trail to learn about policing & its history in Ireland; to meet and listen to those who delivered police services during Northern Ireland’s most difficult and dangerous times; and, to remember and pay tribute to, in our Area of Peace, those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
Thanks to generous donations, we now have a wonderful new asset in which we will brief visitors, give presentations and engage with individuals and groups who wish to learn about policing and in particular the role of the RUC, since 1922 and the challenges faced with dedication and gallantry.
We in the Foundation are grateful to all who assisted us in this endeavour and, especially, to Dame Fionnuala Jay-O’Boyle for doing us the honour of declaring it officially open.
Other special guests included the Justice Minister, other representatives from the Dept of Justice, PSNI, NI Policing Board, staff associations, stakeholder groups and, also, many specialists who helped us in the process of establishing and equipping the Garden Room.
Remembrance is important – not just to look back but to also educate and inspire for the future. We owe it to current and future generations to help them learn lessons from the past in the hope that police officers are never again put into such hostile and dangerous situations.”
