Express & Star

Queen Consort Camilla visiting Telford today

The Queen Consort was visiting Shropshire today after her planned visit last month was rescheduled.

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Camilla, The Queen Consort

Camilla, Queen Consort, had been due in Telford town centre on Valentine’s Day but she had to postpone after catching Covid.

The Queen Consort will meet members of the public and volunteer groups in Southwater, with crowds invited to gather behind the barriers from midday.

It will be Camilla’s first visit to Shropshire since King Charles III became head of state.

During her visit she is expected to attend Southwater One Library where she will meet and thank staff and representatives from local outreach and voluntary groups for their contributions to the community.

The occasion will also see Her Majesty unveil a stone for Telford Veterans’ Trail, as well as a plaque to commemorate the visit.

On arrival, she is expected to be greeted by local schoolchildren and welcomed to Telford by the sound of the Abraham Darby Show Band playing in the square.

On the ground floor of the library she will first be introduced to members of Read Easy, a volunteer reading support group for adults, and representatives of Telford Interfaith Council.

On the first floor, she will meet representatives of Telford Crisis Support, who provide a food bank and support services for individuals and families in crisis, and Telford After Care Team (TACT), which supports adults in recovery from addiction.

Her Majesty will then meet charities STAY and Maninplace, which provide housing and support services for the homeless and vulnerable people.

She will go on to meet representatives of Shropshire Youth Support Trust (SYST), which offers holistic, bespoke support to young people who are not in education, employment, or training, and ambassadors of PODS (Parents Opening Doors), a group dedicated to involving and supporting families with a child or young person with disabilities or additional needs.

The Queen Consort will then meet volunteers of East Shropshire Talking Newspaper, which provides a news and features audio service for the visually impaired, and volunteers from In Kind Direct, who support vulnerable/in crisis people with donated products.

Finally she will meet Erica Hanson, Cpl Royal Logistics, veteran and founder of the Telford Veterans Trail, before unveiling a commemorative stone for for the route which will be set into the trail in the park.

The visit will conclude with the unveiling of a plaque to commemorative Her Majesty’s visit to the Southwater One building.