Duke’s legacy is one of many warm memories among those who met him
Derbyshire Dales MP SARAH DINES pays her own tribute to Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, following his funeral last weekend
ON Monday April 12, I was privileged to be called to pay my respects on the occasion of the death of HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh in the House of Commons.
I know that the people of the Derbyshire Dales shared my sadness upon hearing of the passing of Prince Philip and will join me in sending our condolences and best wises to all who knew and loved him.
He knew the Derbyshire Dales well, having visited both officially and privately on several occasions.
Prince Philip stood by Her Majesty The Queen’s side for over 73 years and had been a constant feature in our national life, helping to guide our country through many changes.
A 2018 Yougov survey revealed that 22 per cent of those polled had either seen or met Prince Philip in the course of the tens of thousands of official engagements he carried out up and down this country.
I, for one, remember seeing Prince Philip as he visited an oil platform manufacturing dock on the Cromarty Forth: I was nine years old and on a family holiday to Scotland at the time.
He was truly a Man amongst Men in times of both war and peace, the last of a golden generation the like of which we will not see again. His steadfast sense of duty and public service, as well as his sense of humour, will be sorely missed.
Former servicemen and women in Derbyshire
Dales, the United Kingdom and throughout the Commonwealth have lost both an old comrade and a very good friend.
Prince Philip’s lifelong commitment to the services and those men and women who have served their country was a constant feature of his public life.
A decorated war hero himself, he was all too aware of the enormous debt of gratitude that we all owe our armed forces personnel and veterans, and their families, for their selfless efforts to help keep our country safe.
We are fortunate though in that we are surrounded by reminders of his legacy. He is of course fondly remembered for the ground-breaking
Duke of Edinburgh Awards programme.
I have heard so many wonderful stories from constituents of their time participating in this inspired scheme which enabled millions of young people, whatever their background, to grow in confidence and help their community, all while being taught to experience, respect and enjoy being out in the countryside.
In many ways Prince Philip led the way both within the United Kingdom and internationally in developing an awareness of nature, conservation, rural and environmental issues, long before it became fashionable. He was decades ahead of the curve on these issues.
He was a passionate supporter of British agriculture, farming communities and rural Britain.
He gave his name, for example, to the Prince
Philip Award, which was made annually by the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers.
Ever the innovator, in 2016, the Prince presented the award to Herdwatch – a farm management app which assisted farmers in managing their herds online rather than on paper.
He championed sustainable farming and over the years Her Majesty The Queen and Prince Philip built up herds of pedigree Ayrshire, Jersey and Sussex cattle as well as highlighting the need to protect rare breeds of native livestock.
His interest in rural communities was all encompassing and involved visiting hundreds of farm shows, agricultural colleges and support for rural organisations and charities.
Prince Philip’s passionate commitment to agriculture and livestock continues to resonate, reminding us of the central role farms and farming communities play in the Derbyshire Dales, and of the need to be flexible and innovative in the coming years as we rethink and reshape our agricultural sector for the better.
He was truly a Man amongst Men in times of both war and peace, the last of a golden generation Sarah Dines