The Princess of Wales was out for Children’s Mental Health Week on Thursday, as she made a solo appearance at the Castle Hill Academy in New Addington, Croydon.
The school works closely with the charity Place2Be, of which Catherine is a patron of. Together, the organisations help build trusted relationships, using creativity and play.
During her visit, the mother-of-three, who was wearing a brown trouser suit, met with children and spoke about the importance of expressing their emotions.
In a personal message shared after her visit, Catherine said: “This year’s Place2Be Children’s Mental Health Week is about the importance of belonging. It can be easy to overlook the importance of the things that matter most; love, care and time spent together. Belonging and connection is so important, and is a fundamental part of early childhood development.”
“As Patron of Place2Be, I am incredibly proud of the work they do to support families and communities to nurture children and young people.”
Fashion forward
Catherine looked as flawless as ever as she arrived at the school wearing a gorgeous trouser suit and a smart pair of flats.
Special greeting
As Catherine walked to the playground and into the main school grounds, she was greeted by a flurry of children who were waving flags on the theme of kindness. The royal shook hands with many of the children and said how “impressed” she was with the designs they had created.
Getting stuck in
As she joined a group of children, the royal was seen picking up miniature pom poms with a pair of tweezers. She sweetly chatted with the children during the moment, saying: “Can I have a go? Is it hard? What’s your favourite colour? I love green, it reminds me of nature and being outside.”
Arts and crafts
Joining an arts classroom for students aged between nine and 11, Catherine watched as several children designed “belonging maps”, which helps the youngsters consider the people, places and experiences that help them feel secure.
Catherine shared how much she “loved” the room and said how art could be used to “work out some personality and identity”.
Touching moment
In a moving moment, Catherine joined a group of parents, including Anisha, whose son lost his father while at the reception level. After Anisha spoke about how Place2Be has supported her son, Catherine said: “I’m so sorry for your loss but being able to have that support and see how he’s thriving just shows the incredible work that’s going on. Just focusing on their emotions unlocks so much potential for them, not only with their work but their relationships.“
