The Prince and Princess of Wales visit Merseyside
Wirral charity said: “You don't think that the Prince and Princess of Wales are coming to your converted warehouse in Birkenhead.”
Last updated 12th Jan 2023
The Prince and Princess of Wales are visiting Merseyside this afternoon.
The Royals are meeting individuals working across healthcare and mental health support services in the area. Their Royal Highnesses are meeting healthcare staff to thank them for their ongoing contribution throughout the winter months.
The Prince and Princess will continue their longstanding work on mental health by shining a spotlight on the support provided by a local mental health charity.
William and Kate are visiting Liverpool’s New Royal Hospital and Wirral based young person's charity Open Door.
Lee Pennington, founder of the Open Door charity told us today’s visit from the Prince and Princess of Wales is “amazing” for team and Merseyside.
The charity hopes to expand soon so they can use their “quite unique” skills to support more people. Lee said, with this in mind, the timing is great.
He said: “On that professional side,that's gonna be, you know, absolutely perfectly timed. But, on a personal level and not just me as founder, but like anyone who's been involved over the 12 years for any period of time, who cares about Open Door Charity. This is like a huge amount of, personal pride in it, you know.
“In your wildest dreams you don't think that the Prince and Princess of Wales are coming to your converted warehouse on an industrial estate in Birkenhead.”
The charity, won the Queens award for voluntary service a few years ago and were recently asked if the Royals could visit them to find out more about their work with mental health.
The charity, which is designed by young people for young people, uses “alternative” ideas to reflect the perspective of members.
Lee said: “It's all about taking mental health support into the world for young adults around the low mood, stress and anxiety and panic attacks and things like that. Taking it into the world in a totally different way and aligning mental health and culture and art and social action and volunteering and having a good time and socializing and events.
“Smash all those worlds together.”
One section of the charity, called OOMOO, has put together a selection of their own songs which the Prince and Princess have been listening to.
Lee told us: “The kids who are members of OOMOO created their album of original music from scratch essentially, so Kate and William have been sent the album they'd listened to that ahead of the visit and then they're gonna be meeting some of the artists who were involved in making that which is amazing.”