Mr Perkins was recognised for services to business and trade in the King’s Birthday Honours list last summer. He was accompanied by his wife Dame Mary, who received her own honour from the late Queen in 2007 for services to business and charity in Guernsey. They were joined by their two daughters, Cathryn and Julie.
‘It was really fortuitous that the investiture was hosted by the Princess Royal as she is familiar with Specsavers, having visited our manufacturing and distribution site in Kidderminster recently,’ he said.
‘She appeared genuinely interested in the work that we do in the community and understood about our joint venture business model.
‘The entire ceremony was so well organised considering the enormous number of people attending and I came away extremely motivated by our conversation.
‘This award isn’t really for me – it’s recognition of the 45,000 people who work for Specsavers and our ophthalmic surgery business Newmedica and their dedication to changing people’s lives through better sight and hearing.
'Together, we have achieved so much since we began the business more than 40 years ago from pretty humble beginnings and it’s really quite incredible that we are now offering our services to 48 million people as far afield as Canada and New Zealand, and have a robust supply chain that spans the world from the UK and Europe to Asia Pacific. None of that could have been achieved without loyal, hard-working, visionary colleagues and partners.’
The Perkins met at university and qualified as optometrists in the 1960s. They founded their own firm of opticians and sold it in 1980, moving to Guernsey to be closer to Dame Mary’s parents, who had retired to the island. In 1984 they launched Specsavers, which is now the largest private eye and hearing care provider in the world.
Mr Perkins said that, apart from the rainfall during their walk up to the Castle and a few teething issues with new shoes, the experience would leave a lasting impression that the family thoroughly enjoyed.
Dressed in her naval uniform, Princess Anne also handed out awards to Greggs CEO Roisin Currie, artistic director of the National Theatre Rufus Norris, and BBC Radio 4 journalist Martha Kearney, while the King and Queen are on their winter break in Scotland.
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