Our students are feeling immensely proud as a personalised letter and card from Her Majesty the Queen, addressed to the students, arrived at Exeter Deaf Academy on the 29th September. Her Majesty has sent her thanks to the primary students for their handmade cards sent on the occasion of her 90th birthday. Upon learning about the letter, one student hoped the Queen would now come and visit the class.
Exeter Deaf Academy has a longstanding connection with the royal family since Queen Elizabeth II’s great grandfather King Edward VII granted the school a royal charter in 1902. The royal charter recognised the charity’s success and commitment to educating Deaf young people since its establishment in 1826. Today, Exeter Deaf Academy is a day and residential school for Deaf young people aged 4-24 and is the oldest specialist Deaf education provider in the UK.
Deaf instructor, Nikki James, posted the handmade crafts to Her Majesty on the students’ behalf back in May. The package included hand drawn cards wishing Her Majesty a happy birthday and hoping she would enjoy the ceremony of Trooping the Colour. When Nikki collected the post on Thursday 29th September she was shocked to find the Queen’s insignia on the envelope.
Inside was an official card containing a photo of Her Majesty and words of thanks for the students’ birthday wishes. A personalised letter written on Her Majesty’s behalf by her Lady in Waiting, Susan Hussey read, “The Queen wishes me to thank you for the splendid handmade cards you have sent to Her Majesty on the occasion of her ninetieth birthday. The Queen has been deeply touched by the response to this special milestone, and Her Majesty greatly appreciates your kind messages and the care you have taken with your artwork.”
Nikki said, “Last summer in class we focused on the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations. We discussed being proud to be British and having our own Queen. The students decided they wanted to send Her Majesty a birthday card to celebrate the amazing achievement of reaching her 90th birthday. The cards were sent and I was very proud of the students work and what they had created. Receiving Her Majesty’s thank you card, the students are overjoyed to know Her Majesty liked what they had made and even asked me if she would pay them a visit at school.”
