HRH The Prince of Wales visit

 

 

 

  

The Prince of Wales praised the ‘marvellous’ work of Roots and Shoots, the south London charity which is celebrating 25 years of providing vocational training to disadvantaged young people from Lambeth and Southwark.

 

The Prince was shown round the charity’s acclaimed half acre wild garden and new eco-building by founder and manager Linda Phillips and patron Kate Hoey MP, meeting trainees, staff and supporters.

 

He watched as children from a local nursery and primary school observed and drew the insects which flourish in the wildlife meadow and met Clive Watson, a member of the London Beekeepers’ Association, whose base is at Roots and Shoots.

 

The trainees, who spend a year at Roots and Shoots working towards an NVQ in horticulture or retail, showed the Prince their preparations for the forthcoming Open Weekend. He heard about the work experience gained by horticultural trainees at Buckingham Palace and Mark Lane, Buckingham Palace and Clarence House gardens manager was among the guests.

 

HRH toured the £1.3 million eco-building, the hub of Roots and Shoots’ activities. Built in wood from sustainable sources, with sheep’s wool insulation, it has a sedum roof and photovoltaic panels, generating all the charity’s own electricity with some left over to sell through the National Grid. Rainwater is collected for the WCs and for the building’s many interesting and exotic plants.

 

The late Queen Mother visited Roots and Shoots in 1988 and the Prince reflected on how amazed his grandmother would have been to see how it has grown. He commented particularly on the “Cornish echiums which have spread over this sub-tropical part of Lambeth,” before unveiling a commemorative plaque and declaring the eco-building officially open.

 

“We are thrilled to welcome His Royal Highness to Roots and Shoots in our silver anniversary year and to show our wonderful new building and the wild garden at its summer best,” said Linda Phillips. “The trainees have all enjoyed telling him about their work.”

 

Roots and Shoots opens for the National Gardens Scheme this weekend, 16 and 17 June (11am – 4pm) with a Producers’ Market on the Sunday.

 

A new website www.rootsandshoots.org.uk has been launched, coinciding with the Royal visit.

 

Roots and Shoots, Walnut Tree Walk, London SE11 6DN 020 7587

 

 

For further press information please contact Lindsay Swan on 020 8579 4660, 07961 181982, lindsay@lindsayswan.co.uk