Princess Anne praises Kingston's carers at New Malden centre opening (From Your Local Guardian)

Princess Anne praises Kingston's carers at New Malden centre opening

2:54pm Tuesday 16th March 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(2)

Princess Anne praised Kingston’s unsung heroes last week, when she came to New Malden to officially launch a new carers’ centre.

On Friday, Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal, unveiled a plaque to commemorate Kingston Carers’ Network’s new premises in the Noble Centre, Blagdon Road.

The Princess Royal said: “Centres like this have already made a huge impact and they get better because carers will come here and they will understand what needs to be done.

“Thank you very much indeed for making Kingston Carers’ Network so successful and for hopefully a launching base for even more success.”

As president of the Princess Royal Trust for Carers, a partner of Kingston Carers’ Network, the Princess Royal met with dozens of people who have cared for and done unpaid work for their disabled loved ones.

She was clearly moved as she heard some of the stories told by the carers, many of whom were children aged between five and 14.

Senior carer Diane White said: “Bringing carers together, especially the younger ones, is so important because of the huge amount of support that they can give one another.

“There are even three children who are in the same class at school who are all carers, but did not know until they saw each other at this centre.”

But John Mays, chairman of Kingston Carers’ Network, warned that more money was needed for the charity to properly help carers, whose “huge contribution” to the UK economy was not being properly recognised.

Mr Mays said: “Carers benefit the economy by £87bn a year. In Kingston that’s £150m a year, which equates to £400,000 every single day.

“We’re a small organisation with a small budget but we fight above our weight. Money isn’t everything, but it does help.”

During the visit, the Princess Royal was greeted by Mayor of Kingston Councillor Ian McDonald, members of Kingston Primary Care Trust, staff, trustees and funders of the Noble Centre.

The centre was opened on January 12 and is dedicated to the Promoting Independent People Services scheme for the borough’s elderly and disabled residents.

Did you meet the Princess Royal? Tell us your thoughts at surreycomet.co.uk/news