The older you grow, the more you appreciate the beauty of friendship.

Last weekend, some friends celebrated their silver wedding anniversary.

They met at school, fell in love, married as teenagers and now have three, handsome sons who have grown into charming young men.

Our friends have been together 30 years, which means we’ve probably known each other for a little longer.

We met on the school bus. We all lived in Lordswood and would see each other every morning, head off to our schools (two of us to Fort Pitt, the others to St John Fisher) and then meet up at the bus stop by Chatham railway station and head home.

Then we’d all meet up again after school, the person living the furthest walk away setting off first and then knocking on each other’s doors until our group was complete. We’d then decide what to do, which was usually back to someone’s home to watch videos/play music/play darts or all three.

As we grew, dates might happen here and there but apart from our silver wedding friends, we soon realised we were better off as mates.

And mates we have stayed. We have partied, we’ve been on holidays, in our later teens we spent many a night in clubs (who still mourns the loss of The Avenue on a Sunday?), we’ve been to weddings, supported each other through the fallout of divorce, attended christenings, are godparents to each other’s children, we’ve shared the pain of losing loved ones in tragic circumstances and been shoulders to cry on.

Personally, they’ve pulled me through some of the toughest times but have also shared some of the happiest.

Each time, there’s been a hug.

Who would have thought all these years later, we’d still be a part of each other’s lives?

Friendship is a powerful thing. Treasure yours.

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Just when I thought the week couldn’t get any better, it ended on a high.

Friday was the annual Kent Press and Broadcast Awards, organised by Maxim PR and hosted at The Spitfire Ground in Canterbury.

I’ve been a finalist in the Columnist of the Year category a couple of times but this year, I won.

Don’t ask me what the judges comments were, the rest of the afternoon passed by in a blur, but I’m truly honoured to have won.

And for a cherry on the cake moment, the Gravesend and Dartford Messengers - where I spend most of my working week - were jointly named Newspapers of the Year.

Host Gavin Esler - the award-winning journalist who is also Chancellor of the University of Kent - talked about fake news, trust and the changing face of journalism, but how the role of good, local newspapers is as important as ever.

We hope you agree.