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Article

A Canadian in London Darrin Gordon, Section Canada

My family and I have returned to Canada after a fantastic trip to the UK and France. I want to begin by thanking Alex Williams (IPA London Reception officer) for the assistance he provided and Gary Shepperd (London IPA member) for his hospitality and advice during our stay. I very much appreciate all of the information and answers to questions they provided prior to our journey commencing and while we were there. We arrived in London on 25th July, and Alex arranged my attendance at the IPA event at the Tower of London. The tour was fantastic, and I spent an enjoyable evening visiting with colleagues in law enforcement. I spent the next few days visiting various tourist destinations with my family, and we were impressed with the sites and history associated with them. Alex graciously invited me for a tour of the Charing Cross police station and the Royal Chelsea Hospital, but I was unable to attend due to previous plans we had made. On the Saturday, Gary met with my family at Parliament, and took us on an unforgettable tour that included portions of the building unavailable to the regular public. Visiting the chapel of St. Mary Undercroft, was truly a special privilege. Gary did a fantastic job explaining the history of the site to us. At the conclusion of the tour, Gary invited us to the Union Jack Club, where we met with his wife Linsey for some lunch and refreshments. Colleagues over the years have advised me to go to the Union Jack Club if I ever had the chance, so I was quite pleased to go. Gary and Linsey provided us with suggestions of what to see, and shops to visit as we continued on to Edinburgh, York and Paris. Linsey and my wife, Tammy, both had an interest in genealogy, and Linsey was able to provide some great access to information on my family history from UK sources. This has been a special trip that I have always wanted to go on with my wife and daughters. The efforts of Alex and Gary made the trip even more amazing than I had imagined, and my family already has a desire to return again someday. I want to conclude by wishing all the best to my IPA colleagues in London and throughout the UK.

POLICE WORLD Vol 69 No.2, 2024

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