A council worker has been invited to Buckingham Palace as a thank-you for her work with the Red Cross. Gabrielle Turner-Ayres, of Metfield, has received an invitation to a garden party at the palace on Wednesday to celebrate 100 years since the charity was granted its royal charter by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

A council worker has been invited to Buckingham Palace as a thank-you for her work with the Red Cross.

Gabrielle Turner-Ayres, of Metfield, has received an invitation to a garden party at the palace on Wednesday to celebrate 100 years since the charity was granted its royal charter by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

She is a social care commissioner at Suffolk County Council and has been working with the Red Cross on their “home from hospital” service at the James Paget University Hospital, Gorleston.

The scheme, run by the charity, helps patients in Norfolk and Suffolk when they return home after a hospital stay.

Miss Turner-Ayres, 44, was invited as a thank-you for the support she has given the Red Cross. She said: “I feel honoured and quite embarrassed, I've only been doing my job.”

Sir Nicholas Young, chief executive of the British Red Cross, said: “Gabrielle's service has been outstanding and this garden party is a great way to acknowledge the tremendous contribution she has made.”

The party will be hosted by the Prince of Wales.