The Duchess of Cornwall sees the work of St John's Foundation in Bath

The Duchess of Cornwall visited Bath today where she saw the work of St John’s Foundation, a local charity dating back to the 12th century.

At Roundhill Primary School, flag-waving pupils gathered outside to welcome Her Royal Highness to their school. St John’s Foundation, of which The Duchess is Patron, supports the school and in 2020 launched a plan to help disadvantaged children across the local area. It aims to equip children with the skills and level of education needed to thrive in their transition into secondary school.

During the visit, The Duchess joined three-year-olds in a Language for Life class in the Sunbeam’s early years room, chatted to youngsters making fruit smoothies, and visited a reading group.

The Duchess also planted a silver birch tree for the Queen’s Green Canopy and unveiled a plaque to mark her visit. The Queen’s Green Canopy is a UK-wide tree planting initiative to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.

After watching a performance of ‘We Are Proud of Our School’, a new song the children learned for her visit, The Duchess of Cornwall said:

Thank you to you all for asking me to come to your lovely school.

It’s a real treat to come here and it’s always a pleasure to come back to Bath, which is my home city.

I have been so impressed by everything I have seen, and I never have enough time to see all that there is to see.”

Next, The Duchess of Cornwall visited the charity VOICES to meet people with lived experience of domestic abuse. VOICES works with survivors and overcomers of abuse on their journey of recovery.

Her Royal Highness toured the support spaces and met members of staff, including the centre’s counsellors. The charity was founded and is led by people with lived experience of domestic abuse.

The Duchess said during the visit:

I’ve been round a few centres, a few safe houses, and you always get the same feedback from the women - sometimes the men I talk to too - they all say you are their lifelines, they could not exist without all your help.

More and more women are able to come forward and tell their stories. We are making a breakthrough. It’s going to take a long time but it’s no longer a taboo subject.