Maria Zofia Kempinska

I had the privilege to be asked by the Countess of Wessex to become a founding member of the Women in Business (WIB) Board along with Linda Bennett of LK Bennett for over 10 years. The WIB board raised funds and awareness of the Duke of Edinburgh Award. I was delighted as I had trained as a teacher, I was also the owner founder of Jongleurs Comedy Clubs and was aware how transformative the award was to the lives of a vast number of young people. One of my early meetings with the Duke was during a reception at the Palace along with Linda and our respective husbands. As the Duke greeted myself and Linda he asked "why are you here?" we responded that we were on his WIB board, he promptly turned to the men and asked, "why are you here", "Oh" said one, "we follow the women." The Duke quickly responded, "yes I know what you mean," and continued to the next fortunate attendees, leaving us laughing with a wonderful story to tell our friends. I had great joy in meeting the Duke on a number of occasions during an Award Ceremony, or a fund raising event and each time the Duke was greeted with excitement and left everyone laughing and uplifted. He was totally disarming with a swift humour and humility whilst being the creator of major change in the lives of the young people from all walks of life including in prisons. These memories I hold very dear.
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