THE QUEEN WILL VISIT A NEW PURPOSE-BUILT SEXUAL ASSAULT REFERRAL CENTRE AND ‘COLAB’, A MULTI-AGENCY WELLBEING HUB, EXETER
Thursday 6th February 2025
Engagement 1:
Her Majesty The Queen will open a new purpose built Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Exeter, during the national Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week 2025.
The Queen will visit Exeter’s new SARC to tour the new facilities, which include Forensic Medical Examination (FME) suites and clinical rooms and meet staff who provide critical forensic and therapeutic care to service users.
The Queen will meet SARC employees, including the Adult and Paediatric, Therapy and Forensic Science Regulator (FSR) teams, and the Devon & Cornwall Police lead officer on Rape and Serious Sexual Offences.
During the visit, Her Majesty will meet privately with a member of public who has had to use the services of the SARC in the past.
The Queen will also see how wash bags are made available to service users, in a post examination room, and speak with representatives from Boots and the charity In Kind Direct about their partnership with SARCs. The washbags project was inspired by Her Majesty and has been running nationwide since 2017.
SARCs are Sexual Assault Referral Centres that offer medical, practical, and emotional support to people who have been sexually assaulted.
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) February 6, 2025
The Queen has opened Exeter’s new purpose-built SARC, touring its new facilities and meeting the dedicated staff who offer compassionate… pic.twitter.com/RWXj5q1lFF
Engagement 2:
Her Majesty The Queen will visit CoLab Exeter; a multi-agency health and wellbeing hub that brings together organisations working across sectors including learning, mental health, housing and homelessness services. Wat Tyler House, 3 King William St, Exeter.
CoLab serves as a multi-agency wellbeing hub in Exeter that enables people and organisations to work together to help members of the local community, and for organisations to achieve their greatest impact and value.
Founded eight years ago as an evolution from Exeter’s Council for Voluntary Services, CoLab envisions a collaborative community and social laboratory, hosting a network of partner organisations within its hub and extending out into the communities around Exeter and Devon.
An inspiring visit to CoLab in Exeter!
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) February 7, 2025
🫶The Queen visited this incredible multi-agency hub, where organisations unite to support health, wellbeing, learning, mental health, housing, and homelessness services.
Her Majesty also spent time with Brave Spaces, a vital partner… pic.twitter.com/g4VnAo8vEj
