THE DUKE OF CORNWALL WILL VISIT CORNWALL AND THE ISLES OF SCILLY
Thursday 9th May – Friday 10th May 2024
The Duke of Cornwall – Prince William – will carry out engagements in Newquay on Thursday 9th May and on the Isles of Scilly on Friday 10th May.
On Thursday, His Royal Highness will pay a visit to the site in Nansledan where the Duchy of Cornwall’s first ever innovative housing project to help address homelessness will be built, before spending time at Fistral Beach where he will hear from local organisations who are working to keep the beach safe for all those who enjoy it.
On Friday, the Duke will make his first official visit to the Isles of Scilly since becoming Duke of Cornwall in September 2022. During his time on St. Mary’s, His Royal Highness will meet representatives from local businesses on the harbour front and pay a visit to St. Mary’s Medical Centre.
DAY ONE – THURSDAY 9TH MAY
Engagement 1:
THE DUKE OF CORNWALL WILL VISIT NANSLEDAN, NEWQUAY
The Duke of Cornwall will visit Nansledan to see the site where the Duchy of Cornwall’s first ever innovative housing project to help address homelessness will be built.
Announced earlier this year, the project will be delivered alongside Cornish charity, St Petrocs, and will provide 24 homes with wrap around support for local people experiencing homelessness. Land for the homes will be provided by the Duchy of Cornwall which will also use its design and development management expertise to guide the delivery of the project as a whole.
The project will showcase the power of collaboration from across the public, private and voluntary sectors, and the role we can all play in ending homelessness in our communities. This transformative approach is inspired by Homewards – a five-year programme led by The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales to show that it is possible to end homelessness. Homewards strives to form locally led coalitions of committed individuals, organisations, and businesses who will work together to create and deliver a tailored plan to prevent and end homelessness in their areas.
The new homes in Nansledan have been designed by local practice ALA Architects, with input from the Duchy, St Petrocs and the Homewards expert panel. The homes are designed to be in keeping with the quality and character of Nansledan, to provide residents with dignity and help them settle into their new community from day one.
Construction is set to begin in September 2024 and the first homes are due for completion in autumn 2025. The innovation the Duchy has embedded into the design will mean that the homes will be built to Passivhaus standards of energy efficiency and sustainability.
The first phase will focus on creating high quality temporary accommodation that feels like home with a clear pathway to a permanent home as accommodation becomes available. St Petrocs will also be helping resident harness the benefits of an active and growing community in Nansledan where training and employment pathways exist, alongside more permanent housing solutions.
His Royal Highness will meet representatives from the Duchy of Cornwall who are leading the development of the site and see where the new housing will be located for the first time. The Duke will also meet the CEO of St Petrocs, Henry Meacock, and a resident of St Petrocs Newquay who will talk to His Royal Highness about the transformative impact of receiving a home and the additional wrap around support.
The Duchy of Cornwall is harnessing the guidance and network of Homewards in the design of this project. Homewards will be evaluating the impact of this initial innovative housing project and will share the learnings with their local coalitions in their six locations across the UK.
Engagement 2:
THE DUKE OF CORNWALL WILL VISIT FISTRAL BEACH, NEWQUAY
His Royal Highness will then travel to Fistral Beach, which is widely regarded as one of the best surfing beaches in Europe. Here, the Duke will meet representatives from local organisations who are working to promote safety in the sea and across the beach area, ahead of the forthcoming summer months.
The Duke will first spend time with Holywell Bay and Newquay Surf Life Saving Clubs which trains and supports volunteers to save lives and prevent drowning in open water. Surf Life Saving Clubs around the country educate young people from the age of seven to keep themselves safe and to help others in difficulty. Operating out of Fistral Beach between May and September, the Newquay club is run in three age groups: Nippers, Youth and Seniors. During his visit, the Duke will meet members of the clubs as demonstrations of training programmes take place on the beach.
His Royal Highness will then meet lifeguards and staff from the RNLI, who provide a seasonal service to Fistral Beach, to hear about the work they are doing to keep local people and tourists safe as they get set to enjoy the summer season. This year, the RNLI is celebrating its 200th anniversary, having been formed in 1824.
During his visit to the beach, the Duke will also have the opportunity to meet members of the public.
DAY TWO – FRIDAY 10TH MAY
Engagement 3:
THE DUKE OF CORNWALL WILL VISIT ST. MARY’S HARBOUR, ISLES OF SCILLY
The Duke of Cornwall will visit St. Mary’s Harbour – the maritime gateway to the Isles of Scilly – and meet representatives from local businesses operating in the area.
The harbour is run by the Duchy of Cornwall and handles passengers and vessels – from ‘Tripper Boats’ and sail training vessels to fishing boats and those carrying special cargo deliveries – travelling to the Isles of Scilly, making it a crucial part of the community and a hub for the vital tourism industry across the islands.
The Duke will spend time with harbour operators as well as local people from businesses on St. Mary’s, hearing from them about life on the islands and how they are preparing for the summer season, which sees approximately 100,000 visitors come to the islands each year.
His Royal Highness’ visit follows the 33rd World Pilot Gig Championships which are being held on the Isles of Scilly from Friday 3rd – Sunday 5th May. The Cornish pilot gig is a six-oar rowing boat, recognised as one of the first shore-based lifeboats that served vessels in distress, with recorded rescues going back as far as the 17th century. The first championships were held in 1990 and now attract thousands of additional visitors to the islands each year. The Duke will meet a mixed crew who participated in the 2024 Championships and hear about their experiences of the races.
Engagement 4:
THE DUKE OF CORNWALL WILL VISIT ST MARY’S COMMUNITY HOSPITAL, ST MARY’S, ISLES OF SCILLY
His Royal Highness will then travel to St. Mary’s Community Hospital to meet staff and hear about a new integrated health and social care facility which is set to be built on adjacent land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall.
The small hospital provides both inpatient and outpatient clinics serving the Isles of Scilly and works closely with the NHS paramedic services on the islands, providing wraparound care to island residents and visitors. The Duke will first meet hospital staff and hear about the challenges of delivering healthcare in an island setting.
His Royal Highness will then meet with representatives from the local council who are working with the Duchy of Cornwall to make the new healthcare facility a reality. A key tenet of the Duchy of Cornwall’s operating principles is to support communities and the people within them, working alongside stakeholders and partners, such as the NHS and the council to deliver investment and opportunities.
The new health and social care facility will provide twelve residential care home beds, NHS inpatient beds and a modern maternity suite. The aim is to develop a new model of care that provides robust services to keep people at home, or close to home where clinically possible, by maximising digital technologies and access to remote support.
The land for the building has been provided by the Duchy of Cornwall on long lease, and the Duchy have facilitated early entry onto the site to ensure work can begin as soon as possible. The facility is due to open by summer 2025.
