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The Deputy Commander of NRDC-Italy, General Sir George Norton, hosted an afternoon tea party in the garden of the Officer  Club in Ugo Mara Barracks to mark the official birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.  The event was attended by the NRDC-Italy Commander, Lt General Marchiò and Mr Tim Fleur, the Consulate General from the British High Commission in Milan, as well as Ms Vicki Simms from the Anglican Church in the city.
Dignitaries from the local area as well as a number of UK Contingent landlords also attended and all were ‘piped in’ by a traditional piper flown in especially for the occasion.
The favorite summer drink of the British garden party has to be Pimms and lemonade. This was served to guests to compliment the sunshine as they arrived to enjoy the event.
The party was an opportunity for General Norton to thank a number of people who support the NRDC-Italy UK Contingent in various ways. The UK and Italian National Anthems were played before the piper was paid in the traditional way with a Quaiche (dish) of whiskey. The wives and families UK Contingent wives did an excellent job in providing a tasty spread of sandwiches, scones and cakes, served on cake stands in the traditional English way with tea and smiles. A number of personnel from NRDC-Italy enjoyed a break from their offices to relax and enjoy a very British tea party spread, along with background displays of bunting, flags and Diamond Jubilee video, as well as children playing to complete the atmosphere. The UK Contingent would like to reiterate the thanks of Gen Norton to those who supported the event and to those people that provide support to the UK families and service personnel living in Italy and working at NRDC – Italy.