UNION Jacks fluttered in the air and the sun beamed on Blackwell Global Adventure near Bromsgrove as the centre welcomed HRH the Princess Royal.

Princess Anne visited the outdoor activity, camping and residential centre, owned by the Scout Association County of Birmingham, on Monday (April 20) to meet with volunteers from its long-standing partner Lattitude Global Volunteering.

After arriving by helicopter at around 1.55pm, she was welcomed by dignities including the Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire Patrick Holcroft, chief executive officer for Latittude Joanne Smithson and children from local primary schools.

She was given a tour of the 100-acre site which included seeing in action a 3D swing, crate stack, giant ladder and zip wire.

Princess Anne is patron of the organisation and Blackwell Global Adventure has volunteers from Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Ghana.

She watched the volunteers at work as they instructed children in a range of outdoor activities and also talked with several of them about their work at the centre.

Lattitude Global Volunteering is a youth development charity which sends young people aged between 17 and 25 on volunteering placements to 17 countries worldwide.

She presented Lattitude’s Adrian Evans Award to former volunteers Alex Astley and Will Clare, recognising their valuable contribution to volunteering and ongoing contribution to charitable projects which resulted in them setting up their own UK-based charity Students4Students.

One of the volunteers, Mikaela Wright, aged 18, from New Zealand, said: “It is really amazing to get this opportunity.

Speaking on her gap year at the site she said: “It has just met all of my expectations it is so much fun every day.”

Princess Anne visited the Manor House to meet with a number of staff and volunteers from some of Lattitude’s other volunteering placements in the region, who are providing support as additional teaching assistants in a number of schools in the area.

Joanne Smithson, chief executive officer of Lattitude, said: “It’s been a wonderful day, thanks to the hard work of everyone involved.

“We were delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness, as patron of our youth development charity, and to celebrate our work with one of our long-standing partners, Blackwell Adventure.

“Our volunteers felt honoured to be able to meet Her Royal Highness and I’m sure it will be a day that will live long in their memory.”
Princess Anne also made a speech stressing the important work of Lattitude and was presented a bouquet of flowers by Francesca Westwood.

Over the past fortnight the Princess had paid a visit to the new Worcestershire Oncology Centre and the Meadow Birth Centre at the Worcester Royal Hospital, as well as the Severn Valley Railway in Bewdley

Just before her visit to Blackwell, she visited the Voice for Young Carers conference, in Hartlebury.