It was a huge honour and privilege for me to be nominated by Bishop James to be the Recipient from Liverpool Diocese of the Royal Maundy.  The Service took place in York Minster on Maundy Thursday, 5th April.  This year, because of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, all the Recipients were not from the host diocese.  Over half were from York Diocese and then there was one person from each of the other 43 dioceses in the Church of England and three Recipients from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.  86 men and 86 women received the Royal Maundy money from the Queen.  I was number 134 and Stella Vernon, our former Provincial President, who is from York Diocese was number 154.  We were seated in alphabetical order. We each received two purses.  The white one contains 86p in Maundy money and the red one contains a Diamond Jubilee £5 coin and a 2012 50p piece.  These are instead of food and clothing: £3 for clothing; £1.50 for food; and £1 for the redemption of the Sovereign's gown - this was introduced by Queen Elizabeth 1 and paid to the poor after the service.