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The Duchess spends a day in Wiltshire

22nd November 2005

The Duchess of Cornwall spent a day in Wiltshire and visited a playgroup for pre–school children with special needs, a victim support initiative and a voluntary youth organisation during her first solo awayday.

In the morning, The Duchess visited the Springboard Opportunity Playgroup, a local charity that helps young children with special needs in Chippenham, Wiltshire.

Her Royal Highness was invited to attend the event by a friend, Mrs Julie Picter, whose daughter attends the group.

The Duchess was delighted to visit and show her support for the organisation which exists to provide a safe and stimulating environment for pre-school children from birth to the age of five.

On her arrival, The Duchess was presented with a bouquet of flowers by Julie's daughter, Beth.

The Duchess met staff, parents and children at the centre before spending time talking with Julie and Beth.

Afterwards, The Duchess spoke with a group of children from nearby Frogwell Primary School.

Her Royal Highness was then taken through Chippenham to the town‘s police station, where she visited staff at the Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust.

As a trustee, The Duchess has been involved with the organisation for seven years, but became Patron this year.

The Trust provides victim support to those targeted by criminals, sending out a manned Bobby Van to repair doors and windows at properties which have been broken into to help restore a sense of security.

The Duchess jumped into a Bobby Van to pay a surprise visit to Melksham resident Evelyn Hawkins who was preyed on by burglars.

The Duchess joined her for a cup of tea with lemon and a biscuit and Mrs Hawkins told her how two men had tried to gain access to her house and would not leave when she asked them to.

Her Royal Highness: “They obviously thought they would settle down for the night. That must have been very frightening for you.”

Mrs Hawkins replied that she had been “very shaken” afterwards and found it difficult to sleep, until Derrick Sweetman, from the Bobby Van Trust, paid her a visit.

He put locks on all of the windows and a chain on the door, and fitted a smoke alarm.

“That was a great help and it really reassured me,” said Mrs Hawkins.

Speaking afterwards about meeting Her Royal Highness, Mrs Hawkins said: “I was nervous when she arrived but not afterwards. She is so easy to talk to, a very pleasant lady indeed.”

The Trust has three vans, from which trained carpenters carry out 1,500 jobs a year helping the elderly and vulnerable to feel more secure.

Director of the Trust, Colonel Bob Richardson-Aitken, said: “The Duchess is wonderful because she takes a constant and regular interest in what we do. Without her and her husband‘s support we would not find it easy to raise the necessary funds to run it.”

The Duchess then visited a youth club in the village of Atworth, run by Youth Action Wiltshire (YAW). She became Patron of Youth Action Wiltshire in September this year and the Atworth Youth Club is one of 70 clubs affiliated to YAW.

The organisation provides training and information for youth club leaders and members, sporting and creative activities and a range of social inclusion projects for specific groups of young people.

Youth Action Wiltshire works with a variety of partners including the Prince's Trust, Connexions, The Young People and Education service and the Statutory Youth Service.

After meeting staff and children at the centre, The Duchess tried out the sporting facilities at the club, taking on a couple of youngsters in an impromptu game of table tennis and even trying her hand at archery.

After her tour, James Layton, Chairman of Atworth Youth Club, thanked The Duchess for coming and added: “We were very impressed by your table tennis.”