Prince William and Kate Middleton Show New Way of Working on Royal Visit to Scarborough
Since becoming Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate have given a clear indication of causes they wish to champion in their new roles through the public visits they have carried out. And today, they have given further insight into a new way of working, which will see them carry out engagements designed to leave a lasting legacy.
The Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales today announced £345,000 of funding to be given to organizations in Scarborough working to help young people’s mental health. The pledge came as the royal couple spent the day in the north Yorkshire seaside town, where many live in deprivation. Kensington Palace said the money is a result of “generous donations from local individuals and organisations keen to make a difference.” The funds will help organizations who are intervening early to prevent mental health issues.
William and Kate today spent time at community Hub The Street where they met with a panel of young people who help decide how the funding is allocated. They then met people from three organizations the money will support: Gallows Close Centre, Sidewalk Youth Project and Flash Company Arts. A royal source said that today's engagements were significant as they represented the Royal Foundation piloting a new type of 'community impact day' royal visit designed to leave a lasting legacy.
Kensington Palace cited statistics showing that almost one third of residents in Scarborough live in areas of high depravation. “These levels of deprivation can mean that the provision of mental health services can often be insufficient. As a result, young people living in Scarborough can find themselves stuck in a cycle where mental health support is brief and ineffective,” the Palace said in a statement.
Dressed smartly in navy blue and beige respectively and with poppies pinned to their lapels, William and Kate heard about the kind of impact the funding will make as they met with staff and young people today. “Ensuring that young people have access to a wide range of mental health support is something that The Prince and Princess of Wales feel extremely passionate about,” said CEO or the Royal Foundation Amanda Berry. “Tackling the stigma around mental health and ensuring that help is there for those who need it continues to be one of society’s biggest issues.”
The donation is the result of a collaboration between the Royal Foundation and Two Ridings Community Foundation, an organization that creates grants for grassroots and charitable organizations throughout North and East Yorkshire. How the funding is distributed is decided by a grant panel of the Two Ridings Community Foundation which includes young people who have been supported by local community organizations. Katie Robinson, a young person on the panel, said in a statement today, “It is great to be here today and have our views listened to and know our opinions count. We need safe spaces, affordable activities and preventative support for our mental health.”
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