North Wales Police officer attends Buckingham Palace garden party

A North Wales Police officer attended the first Buckingham Palace garden party of the year.

Sergeant Dave Smith was invited to the royal event on Wednesday, 7 May, hosted by the King and Queen to mark VE Day commemorations, and held to recognise and rewards public service.

The Flintshire North local policing officer received an invitation having been recognised in the King’s New Year Honours List earlier this year.

He was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to the community in North Wales, and to charity.

Sgt Smith, 38, from Broughton, Flintshire, met Queen Camilla at the event, where he discussed Wrexham Police FC – the charity football team he founded in early 2022 – and his fundraising endeavours.

The intention was for officers to play matches against a variety of opponents while off duty to build cohesion between the police and the communities they serve, whilst raising money for local charities.

He said: “It was an incredible honour to have been invited and to meet lots of inspiring people from across the UK that do a great deal of good in their communities.

“We were selected from the crowd to meet the Queen on the day, where I had the opportunity to discuss Wrexham Police FC and our fundraising endeavours.

“She was a really nice lady and showed a real interest in who I was and where I was from, which force I was representing and the reason I was there.

“The day was even more special that I had the opportunity to share the experience with my wife, who is pregnant. The Queen asked about our family, and we discussed potential names for the baby too.

“To have that personal one to one-to-one time with the Queen was a special moment really.

“It was a privilege to be there, and I was honoured to be representing North Wales Police at the event.”

Since forming Wrexham Police FC, Sgt Smith and the team have raised nearly £60,000 for good causes and charities and have been the recipients of several donations from Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney and Michael Sheen, as well as the public of North Wales and beyond.

“I never set out to get any recognition, and certainly not any awards or recognition from the Palace – it was generally just to try and make a difference,” Sgt Smith added.

“I don’t often get moments where I feel proud, but I remember being stood looking at the palace and all the people there and taking it all in that I was in the back garden of the Royal family. It was surreal, and I was thankful to be there.

“I’m just a lad from Deeside who wanted to join the police and help others, I never thought I’d ever get this sort of opportunity. For others to notice what you’re doing – and to be acknowledged by the King - is a real honour."

The King and Queen were joined at the event by the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester for the soiree.

Sergeant Smith said upon arrival, the royals stood at the top of the garden steps to observe the national anthem, before dispersing into the crowd.

He added: “My children were telling their friends in school that their dad had gone to the King’s house. I hope in the future they’ll be proud of what I’ve achieved.”

Following some careful consideration, Sergeant Smith told how he has decided to put a halt on any further charity football matches after this year.

“It’s not been an easy decision," he said. "But it does take a lot of my personal time, and with a new baby on the way, I’ve decided to take a step back and prioritise my family for now.

“Although, that’s not to say there won’t be any plans for the future.”