A Covingham man has been recognised for his charitable work with an invitation to Buckingham Palace, after travelling to Tanzania to visit the family of a girl he sponsors.

Michael Beale, 77, who met HRH Prince Philip as part of Plan UK’s 80th anniversary celebrations, has spoken about his day in the capital, and an emotional visit to Eastern Africa.

“Buckingham Palace was like a whole new world and such a unique experience. I think that’s probably the first and last time I’ll receive an invite there!” he said.

“Prince Philip is the charity’s patron, and it was one of the last visits he will do before his retirement. It was an opportunity to meet a lot of the Plan staff who I normally only deal with by email.”

Talking about his involvement with Plan UK, Michael said: “I have been sponsoring children with Plan UK for about 15 years now. The first child was in Uganda. I sponsored her from six until about 18.

“Then they asked whether would I take on a little girl in Tanzania. I started sponsoring her about two years ago now, then I received a letter from Plan UK asking whether anyone who sponsored a child wanted to go and see them.”

The opportunity to see Agnuss, the nine-year-old Tanzanian girl Michael sponsors, was too good an opportunity to pass up. The visit to Mwanza, a large town on the southern shore of Lake Victoria, was the first time he had visited Africa.

“I went out for 10 days, and Plan UK had arranged that on one particular day I would go and see her. It was a very emotional day.

“She can’t speak English, and I only speak four words of Swahili. But I’d had photographs from her, I’d had drawings and other things she’d done. So I knew what she was like.

“We went down to her home, which is very poor accommodation, half built of stone and wattle, and built up with bamboo. They put some chairs down for us to sit on.”

Agnuss had been taught that the correct way to greet him was with a handshake; Michael in return obeyed the tradition that visitors should take gifts.

“I had to be careful, I couldn’t take anything like jewellery, because she would be singled out,” he said. “So I took some blankets for the family, tea towels with views of Swindon, and some pictures of my home, to make that link.”

“They asked me where they should hang the teatowels – like a picture!”

Michael also had the opportunity to see the school and health centre where his money was invested – although he sponsors Agnuss, his donations go to the community as whole.

The language barrier prevented any deep discussions between the Swindonian sponsor and the young Tanzanian girl, so Michael is determined to take hold of the next opportunity to visit her.

“They are taught at school in Swahili, until they get to secondary school where they are taught in English,” he said.

“I’m hoping to go back to in about four years’ time when we will be able to converse, I’m really looking forward to that.”