Saturday 20th December
A moment in history
On Tuesday 16th December,two special volunteers joined us at The Passage Resource Centre to help with the preparations for our annual Client Christmas Party.
Our Royal Patron, The Prince of Wales, together with Prince George, took part in several activities alongside staff and other volunteers, first creating care packages and cupcakes for The Passage’s service users. Next they helped to decorate a Christmas tree donated to us by Westminster Abbey, followed by laying tables and preparing lunch to be served at the party.
This was a very special moment as it marks the first time The Prince has taken Prince George to visit us, mirroring his own experience of visiting The Passage with his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, when he was just 11 years old. The Prince talks of these early visits as holding deep, personal significance for him and the inspiration for his lifelong commitment to tackling homelessness.
The Prince and Prince George also spent time meeting Brian and Sarah – two of our long-standing service users – hearing about their experiences of homelessness and the vital support they’ve received here.
“It was important to The Prince of Wales to share with Prince George the work of The Passage and to spend time volunteering alongside the team. They both greatly enjoyed meeting staff and service users and learning more about the charity’s work. The dedication shown not only by The Passage but by organisations across the homelessness sector – at Christmas and throughout the year – is invaluable.” – Kensington Palace spokesperson
Inspiring future generations
The Prince of Wales’s first visit to The Passage with his mother in 1993 inspired his dedication to the cause and later the creation of Homewards, his programme which aims to demonstrate that it is possible to end homelessness.
“I am fortunate to have seen first-hand the tireless work of people and organisations across the sector, the tangible impact their efforts can have and what can be done when communities are able to focus on preventing homelessness, rather than managing it.” – The Prince of Wales
We are proud to be part of a legacy that The Prince is now sharing with his own children – one that inspires future generations to continue this vital work.
A moment in history
“It was an honour to welcome our Royal Patron, The Prince of Wales, accompanied by Prince George who was visiting The Passage for the first time. Just like his father, Prince George wasted no time getting stuck into the various tasks our staff and volunteers were carrying out in preparation for our Christmas party. It was also a lovely opportunity for Prince George to meet with two of our service users who spoke to him about their experiences of homelessness and the difference The Passage makes on a daily basis to those most in need.” – Mick Clarke, Chief Executive of The Passage
Picture by Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace
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