News
The Prince and The Duchess visit Devon and Morpeth
12th September 2008
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall sampled produce at a farmers' market before opening a £4 million health centre.
Their Royal Highnesses travelled to the monthly market in Cullompton, Devon, where they met stall holders and were presented with a bunch of flowers by three-year-old Emelia Lumb.
The market was the first of its kind to be started in the South West with all the stall holders selling produce that they grew, reared or created themselves. Running since 1998, the market has grown over the years and now buffalo ice-cream, cider, honey and fudge have been added to the wide range of produce on offer.
The atmosphere of the market is enhanced by music provided by local school bands and children’s entertainers.
The Prince and The Duchess then opened the Culm Valley Integrated Centre for Health where they met practitioners, patients and staff, and unveiled a commemorative plaque.
The Prince spoke of his admiration for the work at the unit and wished the staff "every success".
He said: "It has been a great joy to meet so many of you. This is a remarkable example of what can be done."
The new centre offers a range of services in one building including a GP practice, midwifery services, an urgent treatment centre and complementary therapy practitioners.
It also runs several health initiatives from encouraging people to be more active to providing artistic opportunities for isolated patients.
The Prince and The Duchess then travelled to the other end of the country to tour one of the country's worst-hit flood areas in Morpeth, Northumberland, where a month's rain fell in a single day, causing the River Wansbeck to burst its banks and engulf the historic market town.
Beneath grey skies, Their Royal Highnesses met residents and emergency services workers to hear how they were affected by the natural disaster which saw 400 people evacuated from their homes and left 1,000 properties damaged.
Hundreds of residents, including schoolchildren and the elderly, cheered as the couple arrived at Morpeth Town Hall.
The Prince and The Duchess chatted to wellwishers before heading into the Town Hall building, which has been turned into a one-stop shop emergency response centre since the flood.
Manager Heather Farrar said hundreds of residents had dropped in to get help with finding new housing, waste disposal, and from Citizen's Advice and the Red Cross.
"I told Charles how busy we had been and he asked whether I'd had to work the weekend - the answer was yes.
"He was genuinely concerned by the flood and said he was glad to see the how the community had pulled together.
"Hopefully the visit has made the rest of the country more aware of what has happened here. It has been an absolute disaster."
Peter Judd, of Morpeth Round Table, said: "We needed people to help clear properties, we need drivers, vehicles, and we need any furniture which can be donated.
"Many people have lost simply everything, and I told Charles how we hope to be able to help them out by filling their house so they have a sofa and somewhere to sit and eat their dinner.
"He was very supportive. And the thing is with Charles is that we know he takes a personal interest in the North East, especially when things like this happen, so his concern is genuine.
"When I thanked him he said no, thanks to you for what you are doing."
Matt Ritson, of Morpeth and Wansbeck Chamber of Trade, said: "He was very concerned for the business community and said it would do the town a power of good for the message to get out that we are still open for business.
"It was good to see them here and to be able to show them how committed we are to putting the community back together."
Following the visit to the Town Hall, the couple toured the streets, to see the damage done.
Walls of sandbags remain piled at people's doors and the tidemarks made by the floodwater, which was 5ft deep in some people's homes, were clear.
Teams of council workmen are working round the clock using high pressure hoses to clean the river mud off the streets.
Great-grandmother Maisie Polwarth, 88, told The Prince how she was evacuated after floodwater deluged her retirement bungalow at Millside by the river's edge.
"I'm partially sighted so the flood was rather frightening," she said. "We'd been trying to put everything up high and out of the way but it was no use. We got out at 3.45 and about 10 minutes later they started the mass evacuation.
"I thought I might be able to go home when the water receded but when I went back to see there is no chance. It looks like a mini tornado has gone through every room.
"I might be out for about six months though I hope to be back before Christmas.
"Charles was very sympathetic."
The Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland, Sir John Riddell, greeted The Prince and The Duchess.
He said: "I'm pleased to welcome them here. It should be a big morale boost for the town."
Castle Morpeth council chief executive Ken Dunbar said: "The visit is a huge boost for the people in the borough who, although severely affected by the weekend flooding, have worked together as a community to begin the process of recovery and restoration.
"The council and its partners have implemented a well-developed community recovery plan which has community engagement at its heart, so it is particularly fitting that the local community should be the focus for the visit.
"The interest of Their Royal Highnesses in the events of the weekend, the effect on our communities and the future for the town, is most welcome and I know it will be greatly appreciated by those affected by the flood."
He went on: "However, the vast majority of our local businesses are still trading, so the message from Castle Morpeth is that the town is very much 'open for business'. This very welcome visit is one more sign that we are well on the road to recovery."