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HRH visits rural initiatives in Cumbria with Environment Secretary Hilary Benn

31st March 2008

The Prince of Wales today visited successful rural initiatives in Cumbria with Environment Secretary Hilary Benn.

His Royal Highness, in his role as President of Business in the Community, showed The Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP round several projects in Cumbria to demonstrate the efforts being made to ensure that rural communities continue to flourish.

For the first engagement of the day, The Prince and Mr Benn arrived at the picturesque Black Swan pub in Ravenstonedale to find the sun shining and local residents lining the streets waving Union flags.

The pub has been transformed by the Prince's 'Pub Is The Hub' initiative, which has helped to regenerate 300 public houses across Britain.

Run by Alan and Louise Dinnes, the Black Swan has become an integral part of the remote village community since the conversion of a ground-floor bedroom into a village shop, and also holds community and fundraising events.

His Royal Highness and Mr Benn began by meeting local dignitaries before moving into the shop to hear from Mrs Dinnes how efforts have been made to source as much produce as possible from local suppliers.

With musicians playing outside, The Prince, dressed in a grey suit and lilac tie, joked with locals before moving into the pub to meet staff.

His Royal Highness and Mr Benn then took part in a meeting to discuss Government support for Pub Is The Hub, before they headed outside to be presented with a hamper of local produce from the shop.

The Prince also unveiled a plaque to commemorate his visit.

As he left, he told one onlooker: "These are the places that really matter. Keep them going."

Mrs Dinnes said she had told the Minister about the importance of pubs being able to diversify and encouraged the Government to support Pub Is The Hub.

It had helped surrounding businesses to stay afloat by providing another outlet for their produce, she added.

And she said she was delighted the Minister and The Prince had been able to stop by.

"I'm just so incredibly proud," she said. "It was such a great event. The sun was shining, and the music was playing, and the people had come out to see what was going on.

"From speaking to The Prince you can tell he really cares about the issues. He is so involved in community, rural and farming issues, and environmental issues."

Mr Dinnes added: "We did a survey to see what the impact has been of opening the shop, and found that it saved 2,000 miles a week of people having to drive further to get things.

"We go out of our way to use local produce where possible too, and our next step is to try and open a Post Office.

"We have applied and just have to wait for the next round of closures to find out, but we've got a very good chance of having one because it's four miles to the next one.

"The Prince is a very good guy and was very supportive of all of it."

When they arrived in sunny Kendal for their second engagement of the day, His Royal Highness was presented with a bunch of daffodils by a member of the 100-strong crowd of well-wishers.

The Prince and Mr Benn, received applause as they entered Booths supermarket, an upmarket chain with 26 branches in the North, which sources produce locally.

His Royal Highness spoke to local food producers in the store's Artisan shop and sampled jam, bread, cheese and fruit cake.

Dianne Halliday, of Country Fare, said: "The Prince is very passionate about farming - he does support farmers very strongly and he's a good advocate for farmers.”

The Prince had a private 40-minute meeting with small food producers. He also officially opened the new Staff of Life bakery at the supermarket.

The Prince toured the aisles of the supermarket on his way to the checkout where he launched the store’s new jute shopping bag initiative, aimed at discouraging customers to use plastic bags.

His Royal Highness also presented one to customer Margaret Wilkinson to mark her 58 years of loyalty to the store.

Mrs Wilkinson, 80, of Kendal said: "It's a great honour. I shan't use it, I'll frame it."

The Prince was again greeted by cheering crowds and Union flags as he and Mr Benn arrived in the tiny village of Chapel Stile, near Windermere.

Surrounded by stunning countryside, the pair attended a meeting about affordable housing and sustainable communities.

Paul Davies, Chief Executive of the Eden housing association and chair of the meeting, warned that the "beauty and serenity can disguise some
of the problems like living here and being able to afford it".

The Prince and Mr Benn then went to look round one of the houses that have been supplied by the Mitre housing association exclusively for people who have roots in the area.

They were the guest of Jackie Rowand, who said The Prince had asked about a range of countryside issues.

She said: "He wanted to know about local jobs, communities, young people moving out of the area because they cannot afford properties in the area.

"A lot of the housing round here is owned by people using them as second homes, and there is a bit of resentment because we live here but on the wages no way can you afford to buy here.

"But it was amazing to have the Prince in my house. I've got photographs of us together on the sofa. It was just gobsmacking. I found out he'd be coming about two weeks ago and it was certainly a big secret to keep under my hat."

Another resident, Madeline McGhee, who lives four doors up from Mrs Rowand with her husband and children, also spoke to The Prince.

She said: "He wanted to know if we all get along - which we do - and where the kids go to school.

"He was very interested in the local issues and seemed like a really nice man."