East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) were delighted to welcome The Duchess of Cambridge to their Norfolk hospice in Quidenham early yesterday morning.

Greeted by flag-waving children from local primary schools, The Duchess was then introduced to dignitaries and given a posy by four-year-old Nell Cork.

Her Royal Highness was then taken on a tour of the hospice by EACH Service Manager Jane Campbell, and observed children taking part in an art therapy session. You can read all the families stories here.

The second half of Catherine’s visit was spent talking to staff and volunteers who work at Quidenham and getting an update on The Nook Appeal.

The Nook Appeal aims to raise £10 million for a new purpose-built hospice at a five-acre site in Framingham Earl.

The current Norfolk hospice was opened in 1991 and, due to the increasing numbers of children with life-threatening conditions and complex healthcare needs, the hospice has now outgrown its current site.

The new hospice will help provide more families with the same facilities as those offered by the charity’s hospices for Cambridgeshire, Essex and Suffolk.

Graham Butland, EACH Chief Executive said: “It was a pleasure for everyone at EACH to greet Her Royal Highness once again, on what was her first visit to our site in Quidenham.

“The Duchess was given a really good insight into the difficulties our staff and volunteers face as a result of Quidenham having outgrown its home, and the huge difference a purpose-built modern hospice will make to the care they can provide to so many families.

“The nook appeal will transform children’s palliative care across Norfolk and we’ve so far secured close to £5 million.

“We still have some way to go before the new hospice can be built, though, and we need continued help from individuals, trusts and events, and as much corporate and community support as possible.”

Kensington Palace announce that The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will attend the Place2Be Big Assembly with Heads Together for Children’s Mental Health Week 

Monday 6th February, 2017

The Duchess of Cambridge, Patron of Place2Be, accompanied by The Duke of Cambridge will attend ‘The Big Assembly’ by Place2Be hosted at Mitchell Brook Primary School, as part of the Heads Together campaign to start millions of conversations on mental health in 2017. The Big Assembly, on the theme of kindness, is one of many being held at primary schools across the UK to mark Children’s Mental Health Week (6th – 12th February 2017).

Their Royal Highnesses will have the chance to meet staff and pupils, attend the Assembly, and present the first Place2Be ‘Kindness Cup’ to the pupil who has shown exceptional kindness in their school community and beyond. Pupils will act out role plays about being kind, and the school choir will also perform.

Children’s Mental Health Week 2017 focuses on kindness, and its benefits for wellbeing. It can be difficult to know how to help someone going through a difficult time, but small acts of kindness can make all the difference. Throughout the week, Place2Be is encouraging children to ‘spread a little kindness’ in their schools and at home, for example by looking out for classmates who may be having a difficult time, listening to how they feel, and if they need it, asking an adult for help.

Place2Be is a Charity Partner of the Heads Together campaign, spearheaded by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry to end stigma and change the conversation on mental health.

The charity has produced downloadable activities for schools, and tips for teachers, parents and children, available at www.ChildrensMentalHealthWeek.org.uk. Schools are also invited to download the footage after the event and use in their own assemblies and lessons, to help as many children and young people as possible learn the importance and value of kindness.

Place2Be is a leading UK children’s mental health charity providing in-school support and expert training to improve the emotional wellbeing of pupils, families, teachers and school staff. The charity works directly with more than 282 primary and secondary schools across Wales, Scotland and England, reaching a school population of over 116,000 pupils. It is one of the eight Charity Partners of the Heads Together campaign, to change the national conversation on mental health and make the 2017 London Marathon the mental health marathon.

The Duchess of Cambridge has been Patron of Place2Be since 2013, reflecting her interest in child mental health and the importance of early intervention to provide children with in-school mental health services at the earliest stage possible.

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An Update From Kensington Palace 

Since 2014 The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have used Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace as their official residence when carrying out Royal duties, while basing their family primarily at their home in Norfolk. This arrangement has allowed The Duke to work as a pilot with the East Anglia Air Ambulance, a role he has valued hugely. Their Royal Highnesses love their time in Norfolk and it will continue to be their home.

From this autumn, however, The Duke and Duchess will increasingly base their family at Kensington Palace. As they have in recent years, Their Royal Highnesses are keen to continue to increase their official work on behalf of The Queen and for the charities and causes they support, which will require greater time spent in London. Prince George will begin school in London in September and Princess Charlotte will also go to nursery and eventually school in London as well.

His Royal Highness will finish his role with the EAAA in the summer in line with his commitment to fly with them for two years. The Duke said:

“It has been a huge privilege to fly with the East Anglia Air Ambulance. Following on from my time in the military, I have had experiences in this job I will carry with me for the rest of my life, and that will add a valuable perspective to my Royal work for decades to come.

“I would like to thank the people of East Anglia for being so supportive of my role and for letting me get on with the job when they have seen me in the community or at our region’s hospitals. I would especially like to thank all of my colleagues at EAAA, Babcock, and Cambridge Airport for their friendship and support. I have loved being part of a team of professional, talented people that save lives every day. My admiration for our country’s medical and emergency services community could not be any stronger.”

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Prince Harry will visit a young person’s hostel in North London on 26th January, to meet young people who are engaged with The Running Charity programme, as part of his continued focus on exploring how sport can be used to help vulnerable young people and communities.

The Running Charity is the UK’s first running-orientated programme for homeless and vulnerable young people. The programme engages young people in regular running-based activities with qualified fitness professionals as coaches, harnessing the underlying benefits of the sport as a powerful motivational tool. The Running Charity partners with existing homeless charities, providing a diverse training programme that ensures high levels of engagement between the participants and coaches. Through sport, The Running Charity is able to encourage young people to set positive goals, to speak and engage with each other in a positive way, develop a healthier lifestyle and establish a positive mindset. The aim throughout the programme is that as their confidence increases, participants become more resilient and optimistic about what they can achieve in life.

During his visit, Prince Harry will meet staff at the hostel and the charity to hear about the benefits of the programme for the young people involved. He will speak directly to Claude, a programme mentor who has himself experienced homelessness and who has direct experience of using sport as a way to build skills to improve his circumstances. Prince Harry will then meet some of the current beneficiaries along with recent graduates of The Running Charity’s programme, to hear from them directly what benefit it brings.

This is one of a series of visits Prince Harry is undertaking to develop his understanding of the sport for social development sector and use his position to support the great work that is already taking place across the country – to ensure that community sports groups continue to play a key role in improving the life chances of disadvantaged young people.

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Sophie, Countess of Wessex today celebrates her 52nd birthday as she attends the Devon County Agricultural Association AGM at Westpoint, Clyst St Mary, Exeter.

Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones was born at Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, on 20 January 1965, the second child and first daughter of Christopher Bournes Rhys-Jones and his wife, Mary.

Sophie is the wife of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Married in 1999, she worked in public relations until 2002 and now assists her husband in his various activities.

The Earl and Countess of Wessex have two children: James, Viscount Severn, and Lady Louise Windsor.

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Rhino Conservation Botswana (RCB) is delighted to announce that His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales has agreed to become the charity’s new Patron.

Founded in 2014, RCB is an international organisation that monitors and protects black and white rhinos it helps rescue from poaching hotspots across southern Africa and move to Botswana. Here, thanks to the government’s robust anti-poaching laws and the support of the military, the rhinos can thrive – and ultimately become one of the last great hopes for the survival of their kind.

The announcement comes after Prince Harry visited Botswana last September, where he joined an RCB operation to fit electronic tracking devices to critically endangered black rhinos, which had been translocated to the Okavango Delta. Working as part of a small team, His Royal Highness helped with tasks including clearing thorn bushes from around sedated rhinos so that tracking devices could be fitted, monitoring the animals’ breathing and heart rate, administering oxygen, covering the rhinos’ eyes to protect them, and helping to keep the animals cool with water. These individual actions will help protect rhinos, and maintain the important biodiversity these animals depend on to survive in the wilderness.

RCB’s director, Martin ‘Map’ Ives, said:

“Prince Harry has seen at first-hand the cruel and senseless damage inflicted on these endangered animals by poachers. I know that His Royal Highness’s support for our work will make a real difference to rhino conservation. We are hugely grateful for the work and support Prince Harry has already extended to RCB, and look forward to working with him in the future as our Patron.” 

Map Ives goes on to explain:

“Across Africa, rhinos are being poached for their horns at a rate that could make them extinct in the wild within 10 years. It’s a senseless trade; rhino horn has no proven medicinal value. Even so, demand is increasing. Today rhino horn is worth more than gold. Despite their size, rhinos have no defences against bullets and high-powered weapons. They are completely reliant on our protection and on our efforts to turn the current tide of poaching for their survival. RCB’s message is one of hope. Together, we can stop rhinos from going extinct and build a safer future for these magnificent animals.” 

As featured in the short film released today, Prince Harry said whilst in Botswana:

“The rhino is one of Africa’s most iconic species. This is a black rhino, an animal that deserves the utmost respect, so to be able to be sitting next to her is incredibly special. The black rhino has been reintroduced into Botswana and its numbers are increasing here, while numbers are decreasing elsewhere. If we can’t save these animals, what can we save?” 

On becoming Royal Patron of RCB, Prince Harry said:

“I’ve been lucky enough to visit Botswana for more than 20 years and am incredibly fortunate to be able to call it my second home. Being Patron of RCB is an opportunity to give something back to a country that has given so much to me.” 2

“It’s about time we start celebrating and supporting the countries that are taking the lead in conservation.” 

Prince Harry joins the Honourable Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism Tshekedi Khama as a Patron of RCB. The charity works closely with partners, including the Botswana Government and the Botswana Defence Force, and supporters across Africa and around the world, to protect ‘ark’ populations of black and white rhinos.

To learn more about RCB, visit www.rhinoconservationbotswana.com.

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With the gilded ceilings and glittering chandeliers, the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace provide a perfect setting for the many famous masterpieces from the Royal Collection. In the company of an expert guide, you will be taken on a guided tour through these magnificent rooms when the Palace is not usually open to the public.

The tour ends with a glass of champagne, a copy of the official souvenir guide and 20% discount in the shop.

Buckingham Palace: Exclusive Guided Tours

• Friday, 16 Dec 2016 – Sunday, 5 Feb 2017
• Tours are available at 13:30, 14:00, 16:00 and 16:30
• £80.00 per person
• Adults
• There is limited availability, with a maximum number of 30 places on each tour
• Price includes a glass of champagne, a copy of the official guidebook and 20% discount in the shop

Click here to book your place.

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A speech by The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry at the First Endeavour Fund Awards Ceremony

Prince Harry

Good evening everyone and welcome to our very first Endeavour Fund Awards.

William, Catherine and I are determined to support the Armed Forces Community as much as we can. Through The Royal Foundation, we established the Endeavour Fund with the aim of helping wounded, injured and sick serving personnel and veterans to use sport and adventurous challenges as part of their recovery.

It has been a remarkable few years for the Endeavour Fund and since its inception in 2012, we have supported 39 different projects; directly assisting nearly 1500 people on their recovery journeys and in turn, inspiring many thousands more.

Some of these challenges have been huge, high profile and internationally renowned such as the Invictus Games and Walking with the Wounded’s South Pole Allied Challenge. And others have been smaller and more personal, such as Team Endeavour Running Club and Beeline Britain. Everyone has their own version of an Everest challenge, and we try to support as many endeavours as possible. I would like to congratulate the 65 Degrees North team who summited Mount Vinson, the highest mountain in Antarctica, over the weekend. Even when we sit here the guys are still at it.

Some initiatives have sought to raise funds for other charities – generating nearly two and a half million pounds for other organisations supporting the wider armed forces community. While others have focused on using sport as a vehicle for qualifications, work experience or mentorship programmes.

Serious injury can lead to self-doubt, a lack of identity and fears for the future. We cannot underestimate the positive impact that sport can have on the physical, social and psychological effects of injury. Not just of the individual, but their families as well.

The men and women who have taken part in activities we’ve supported have felt significant improvements in their confidence and self-esteem. In fact, 90% said that participation in sport had had a positive impact on their recovery and rehabilitation.

Many have found job opportunities, directly or indirectly, as a result of taking part in these challenges; rediscovering the drive to seize chances where, for a time, they may have let them pass by.

With support from the Endeavour Fund, they have joined teams, established strong support networks and discovered new passions. Using the power of sport, this community has helped themselves to carve out a new life, a new direction and a new definition of self – proving to themselves and everyone else that, beyond injury, they can still achieve the extraordinary.

I would like to thank the team for working so hard to bring the Endeavour Fund to where it is today and the Advisory Board for their enduring commitment and guidance.

This evening is our opportunity to show you what these courageous men and women have been up to. Changing their lives and inspiring others while doing so. As Dave Henson once said, “Kicking the ass out of life.” The men and women that serve our country are role models that any parent would be proud for their kids to follow. Their actions post-injury epitomise resilience and what it means to be unbreakable.

Lastly, I would like to thank all those that have been involved in the endeavours; those who have taken on the responsibility to organise and run these challenges; and the participants who have been brave enough to take the positive steps of getting involved. In spite of the challenges you have already faced in your lives, you have then chosen to do it all again, often facing daunting journeys or some of the harshest conditions on earth. You are all an inspiration to us all – THANK YOU…

I would now like to hand over to the host for this evening, someone who embodies everything I have just spoken about. A former Royal Marine who suffered serious injuries as a result of an explosion in Afghanistan. His journey from the first Invictus Games in 2014 has taken him to his dream of presenting Channel 4’s coverage of the Paralympics in Rio last year…. Ladies and Gentlemen JJ Chalmers.

The Duke of Cambridge

I can only echo what has already been said about our friend Henry.  As Patron of the Shackleton Solo expedition, I eagerly followed his preparation and progress and remember meeting with Henry, Joanna, Max and Alicia at Kensington Palace just days before he set off for Antarctica.  It was plain to see how excited he was to embark on this voyage, following in the footsteps of Shackleton and, most importantly, selflessly raising money to support a cause he truly believed in.  Tonight, as we look back on everything that has been achieved, we must remember that a lot of these successes have been supported by the funds raised through Henry’s herculean efforts.

The best way that we can thank Henry, the best way we can honour his memory is to create a legacy.  The award of a prize in his name, is but a small part of this legacy, a gesture offered to show how much Henry meant to us.  A much more significant and meaningful legacy can be fulfilled by you; the community for whom Henry sacrificed so much.

You can honour Henry’s memory by making the most of the opportunities available to you in the field of sport and adventurous challenge.  You can work to support others, men and women still coming to terms with their injuries to get involved and thrive in sport, to immerse themselves in positive team environments and thus reap the benefits that we have heard so much about this evening.

Looking at the year ahead of us, the Endeavour Fund will be getting behind old favourites:  Climb2Recovery, Team Endeavour Racing and of course the UK Team at the Invictus Games.  In addition, new opportunities for new endeavours will also be swelling the ranks.  So whether it’s cycling across the Pyrenees with RAID17, lacing up your trainers with Team Endeavour Running Club or any of the other amazing sporting challenges on offer; I urge you to contribute to Henry’s legacy by using sport as a catalyst for recovery.

It gives me great pleasure to introduce Max and Alicia Worsley who will be helping me to present the Henry Worsley Award for the first time, in honour of their father.

To learn more about the Endeavour Fund, visit their website by clicking here.

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A speech by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry at the Heads Together event