A message written by the Queen Mother shortly before her death will be read out at a Sussex home where she is remembered by a blue feather from her hat.

She was president of the Queen Alexandra Hospital Home for disabled ex-servicemen, at Gifford House, Worthing, and visited six times during the last 35 years.

So when former chief executive Jo Holgate wrote to her about a reunion of former Gifford House staff, the Queen Mother replied with a personal message to be read out at the event on April 12.

The message says: "I offer you all my best wishes on the occasion of this reunion for former members of staff of the Queen Alexandra Hospital Home. I know that you cared for disabled ex-servicemen at Gifford House in a very special way and that your devoted and dedicated service made a great difference to their lives. I hope you will continue to find peace and happiness in your retirement and that you will have a most enjoyable gathering this evening."

Miss Holgate, who met the Queen Mother 25 times, said: "When I read out the Queen Mother's words I'm sure it will be moving because it will be in the same week as her funeral. But it will also remind me of happy days when she visited.

"I will recall the immense amount of support and interest she gave us over the years. Most of the people at the reunion will remember her visits and what extreme pleasure she left behind."

The home was very close to the Queen Mother's heart after losing a brother in the First World War. Glamis Castle in Scotland, where she grew up, was later turned into a convalescent home for ex-servicemen.

Miss Holgate, who devoted 46 years of her life to Gifford House, was made a Member of the Royal Victorian Order in 1976 for her services to the Royal Family.

She said: "The Queen Mother always had an amazing interest in the home and we felt we had her total support. But it still came as a complete surprise when she sent the message.

"I felt sad when I heard of her death but privileged to have known her. She was a charismatic lady with an incredible memory. She had a great understanding of disabled people."

Memories of the Queen Mother will live on at the Worthing hospital home in an even more unusual way.

She left feathers from her hat as mementoes on three visits.

Today, one of these feathers has pride of place in the home's entrance hall, where it will remain to honour the Queen Mother's memory.

Miss Holgate snipped the feather from the Queen Mother's hat with a pair of scissors after receiving royal assent during a visit in 1983.

The Argus captured the moment, with the Queen Mother all smiles, on camera.

Miss Holgate, from Worthing, said: "She said I could cut a feather from her hat and I remember running off to the office and coming back with the scissors. I thought it was funny because after all the strict security checks, there I was standing behind the Queen Mother with this enormous pair of scissors. But it was all over in a flash. She roared with laughter. She had a great sense of fun."

The feather tradition began when a gust of wind caught the Queen Mother's hat during a visit to Gifford House in 1966.

A dislodged feather was snapped up by an eagle-eyed member of staff.

A decade later another feather was claimed from the floor of the official limousine.

Miss Holgate said: "I showed her the feather, which we had framed with a photograph of her visit in 1966. The Queen Mother laughed heartily and said 'I'm not in the habit of shedding my feathers but one has just fallen out in the car'. She sent her lady in waiting to get the feather for us."

The third feather came after Miss Holgate reminded her of the feathers in 1983. The Queen Mother laughed and said: "I suppose you'd like another."

Gifford House governor Frank Wilson said: "Every time the Queen Mother visited, she usually wore a stylish hat with feathers. It became a tradition."