Roberts Manor and Prince Charles
Right then, even the most thick and ignorant detractor of Prince Charles surely has the sense to realise that here is a man who has devoted his life to
promoting and protecting the very essence of English culture.
While successive Prime Ministers have drafted plans to build millions of houses on English countryside, Prince Charles (a.k.a. The Prince of Wales)
has worked closely with The National Trust and environmental groups to try and save our countryside.
Charles has also supported "intelligent" architecture -- those of us old enough can remember how he stuck two fingers up (or one finger for our
American cousins) to the Royal Society of Architects when he described the new building addition to the National Gallery as "a carbuncle on the face
of London !"
When in great moments of patriotism we proudly stand there singing William Blake's "And did those feet in ancient times, walk upon England's
mountains green; and was the Holy Lamb of God on England's pleasant pastures seen....in England's green and pleasant land", you can take it from
me that Charles is standing there singing it louder than anyone else.
He loves his country, he loves his people. And as you can probably tell, Roberts Manor proudly supports Charles and his work. Thus, this page is
designed to keep readers in touch with his efforts to preserve the English way of life. As Prince Charles undertakes new projects, then these will be
posted on this page.
This page is not about William or Harry or Diana or Camilla -- this page is about Prince Charles in the here and now. If you, dear reader, find it to be
of interest, then that is excellent. If you don't, then I really don't give a toss, because in the years ahead, Prince Charles' warnings about our
countryside will become a case of "I told you so".
After my mate Kevin Minchew met Prince Charles following the recent floods in Tewkesbury, we're hoping some more bottles of Kevin's Stinking
Bishop perry can find their way to Charles' Gloucestershire home of Highgrove -- and lest we forget, his organic farm at Highgrove also provides the
rare Plumage Archer Barley to produce Duchy Original English Ale.
Prince Charles backs farm scheme
The Prince of Wales is to launch a campaign at his Highgrove home which aims to reconnect urban children with the countryside.
The Prince, as Patron of the Food and Farming Campaign, will meet pupils from a Gloucestershire primary school to show them round his farm.
The campaign will run throughout the 2007-2008 academic year. It is set to tackle children who grow up in cities with no knowledge of where their
food comes from.
A study published by the Year of Food and Farming says a significant proportion of pupils lack basic "agricultural literacy".
The study of 1,000 pupils revealed:
21st Century youngsters are more likely to have holidayed abroad than to have explored England's fields and farms
One-in-five never visit the countryside. Children in England aged between 11 and 15 now spend 55 per cent of their waking lives watching television
and computers. That is equivalent to about 53 hours a week in front of a screen - a rise of 40 per cent over the last ten years !
A further 17% have only been to the countryside "once or twice", meaning a third of children have little, if any, experience of the rural world
One-in-five children say they have never picked and then eaten fruit - one of the staples of classic outdoors life. Welcoming in the campaign, the
Prince of Wales said: "One of the more alarming aspects of recent times is that there appears to have been a growing disconnection of young people
from the land.
"This has many consequences, not least that too many children have no idea where their food comes from or how it is grown.
"One of the great tragedies is this country seems to be less connected than the rest of Europe. That's worrying, so I think it helps enormously if
children have this connection by growing things.
"Interestingly, that programme Jamie Oliver did about school dinners was very revealing. He couldn't get them off the Turkey Twizzlers until he got
them growing something, cooked them and then ate them. It's that connection which is so vital."
"The way we produce food matters, and we need to explain that the choices people make when they buy food have a direct effect on the social and
environmental future of the countryside.
"The experience of eating food which they have grown can have the most profound effect on young people, quite literally bringing food to life."
His Royal Highness said there was evidence that children who had "contact" with the countryside scored higher on tests of concentration and self-
discipline.
Pupils who participated in outdoor education programmes also tended to achieve better academic results, while working with farm animals often
boosted children's self-confidence, he said.
Prince Charles pulls a pint at The Hollybush Inn in Northumbria
Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall support local Micro-Brewery in a visit to Northumberland.
12th December 2006 – Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall traveled to a remote part of Northumberland, to visit the Hollybush Inn in
Greenhaugh, and to meet Steven and Sally Urwin, the owners of the High House Farm Brewery in Matfen.
Whilst in the tiny Hollybush Inn, Prince Charles tried his hand at pulling a pint of Nel’s Best, the 4.2% ABV best selling golden ale brewed by High
House Farm Brewery.
The Prince was interested in meeting Steven, as he is a fourth generation farmer, who has diversified his 200 acre family farm into a successful
brewery, and has just opened a new visitor centre in Grade II listed converted farm buildings in September this year. Prince Charles was especially
interested in the fact that Steven grows his own barley on the farm, and now produces six real ales, all named after the farm collie dogs, which are
extremely popular across the North.
Prince Charles then spent the rest of his time at the Inn meeting other local farmers and discussing plans for future developments and opportunities
for diversification.
Steven said “It was a real honour to meet the Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall. They were extremely interested in the farm and the brewery, and
the Prince seemed to really enjoy his pint of Nel’s Best. We are very grateful to Tim and Christine Morris, owners of the Hollybush and loyal
customers, for organizing the visit. The Prince was interested in hearing the story of High House Farm Brewery, and managed to pull a pint, with help
from myself and Tim. Camilla was encouraging him to drink up, and he did really seem to enjoy the real ale!”
Prince Charles on board eco train
The Royal Train will cut CO2 emissions by 20%
The Prince of Wales has paid a visit to Scarborough
on board the newly converted eco-friendly Royal Train.
Prince Charles is the first member of the Royal Family to travel on the train since its conversion to run on fuel processed from waste vegetable oil.
Charles was visiting Scarborough's St Catherine's Hospice and a Georgian museum refurbishment on Friday. Crowds of children waving Union flags
greeted the prince when he arrived in the seaside town.
'Lord Lucan' quip
The train runs on biodiesel produced by a Gloucestershire company and it was the first journey in a four-month trial to assess the suitability of bio-
fuel for mainline rail services.
After leaving the train station, the prince was met by community dignitaries and Sir Jimmy Savile.
Prince Charles - with Sir Jimmy Savile -praised hospice staff
Sir Jimmy, who has known the prince for 42 years, said: "In case he had forgotten who I was, I introduced myself as Lord Lucan and because he's got
a terrific sense of humour, that was him finished for the next five minutes."
His Royal Highness then visited St Catherine's Hospice, which provides care for adults with advanced, progressive diseases and has to raise £3.2
million in funds each year. The Prince chatted to patients, staff and volunteers before helping to plant a tree in the garden.
As the prince left St Catherine's Hospice, he congratulated staff and said: "Well done for all the marvellous things you do, keep it going."
During his visit, the prince offered his sympathy to farmers across the country following the latest foot-and-mouth outbreak. He said: "It's a
combination of horror and huge blows for the poor upland farmers who rely on their pedigree sales at this time of the year. "For them, for all the poor
farmers, particularly the livestock ones, it's a complete nightmare to have another outbreak and everything brought to a grinding halt. "It's a real, real
blow for people. You can imagine how much anxiety and despair there is there because they depend so much on these sales for their income."
The Prince also spoke of the problems farmers would face by being left with livestock on their farms for much longer than imagined and the
associated costs. The prince was due to visit two farms in North Yorkshire on Friday but cancelled them because of the latest outbreak.
In his role as Patron of the Mutton Renaissance Campaign, The Prince had been due to officially launch the new mutton season at Grange Farm in
Levisham, near Pickering, by tasting a dish of mutton stew, freshly prepared by chef Brian Turner.
His Royal Highness was also scheduled to meet farmers and business leaders at Hill Top Farm in Spaunton to understand the challenges facing
farmers in the North Yorkshire Moors.
A spokesman from Clarence House said: "The Prince of Wales is so sorry that the new outbreak of foot and mouth disease means that he is unable
to visit Grange Farm and Hill Top Farm in the North Yorkshire Moors. His heart goes out to farmers everywhere and he hopes and prays that this
desperate situation will soon end."
The Prince of Wales raises £1/2 million for farmers
28th September 2007
The Prince of Wales has raised over half a million pounds for British farmers directly affected by the latest outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease.
Leading supermarkets such as ASDA, Marks & Spencer and Waitrose have made substantial contributions, as have the Co-operative, Musgrave,
Booths, Unilever, Cadbury Schweppes and the national food service distributor 3663.
The Prince himself has donated £100,000 which has been matched by The Duke of Westminster in a move which echoes the donations both made at
the time of the last Foot and Mouth outbreak in March 2001.
The total donation, which will be given to farming charities, now stands at £620,000 and will be used to help directly those whose livelihoods have
been most affected, especially farmers unable to sell their livestock or pay their bills and those who need advice, help and support.
Since the first outbreak of the disease in Surrey last month, farming charities have reported increasing numbers of telephone calls for help and
growing levels of anxiety and stress among farmers and related occupations. Tragically, two suicides have already been reported. This situation has
only worsened with the second outbreak this month.
The Prince of Wales said today:
“Despite the very welcome lifting of some of the restrictions on animal movements and livestock markets, this remains a desperately difficult time for
farmers throughout the United Kingdom. The re-emergence of Foot and Mouth combined with the impact of the flooding this Summer – and now the
cases of Bluetongue – have created a real crisis which will be felt for months to come. I hope that this donation will make a difference for those
farmers struggling to cope. They have animals to feed and bills to pay now; their feedstocks are in short supply and the future is still very uncertain.
Too many farmers are on the brink. I am enormously grateful to The Duke of Westminster and the retailers and food companies who have joined me
in making this donation to help safeguard the future of our livestock farmers.”
The Duke of Westminster said:
"We all hope that the present crisis will be short-lived and less widespread than in 2001 but in the meantime I, like HRH The Prince of Wales and the
other donating organisations am committed to doing all I can to help the agricultural community and individual farmers cope with the impact of the
outbreak."
Sir Don Curry, Chairman of the Sustainable Food and Farming Delivery Group welcomed today’s announcement.
“As he did in 2001, The Prince of Wales has once again led from the front. As we all know, The Prince is very sensitive to the plight of the farming
community and he understands the devastating effect which Foot and Mouth disease is having. Many farmers are under extreme stress at the
moment and this donation will provide essential relief to those affected, not just financially but in terms of practical support, advice and help and on
their behalf we cannot thank him and the other donors enough.”
The Reverend Dr. Gordon Gatward, from the Arthur Rank Centre at the Royal Agricultural Society of England said:
“We are delighted by this donation. The Prince, The Duke and all the companies which have contributed deserve our deepest thanks and praise for
realising the depth of the problems which some farmers are now facing. We may not have great pyres of burning animals but we do have a situation
which is preventing many livestock farmers in this country from making a living. It is particularly gratifying that some of the big supermarket chains
contributed so generously to the fund.”
Prince Charles tours Wychwood Brewery
Prince Charles enjoying a pint
at the Wychwood Brewery
Prince Charles had his first taste of the old Oxfordshire pub game of Aunt Sally during a trip to a brewery. Gamely, he had a go in front of about 100
watching spectators at the Wychwood Brewery in Witney - but missed the doll in all six throws.
"I think I must have had too much beer," he joked to the crowd as they applauded him for his have-a-go spirit. The Prince was at the brewery
yesterday afternoon after an earlier tour of nearby RAF Brize Norton.
The brewery, at The Crofts, produces one of his own Duchy Originals brands, organic winter and traditional ale which he sampled along with
Wychwood's famed Hobgoblin ale.
Among those he met during the tour was farmer Tim Blanchard, who provides the organic hops for the Duchy beer from his New House Farm, at
Kingston Bagpuize. Mr Blanchard said: "He's totally interested in anything do with farming and it was a delight to talk to him."
The Prince also chatted to head brewer Jeremy Moss and dozens of other staff. Jo Lyons, merchandise co-ordinator, said: "It was really good, he
talked to everyone. "He also had a good laugh when I told him we sell T-shirts all over the world, even one just recently to Mongolia."
Wychwood managing director Rupert Thompson said: "It was a great day for us. He seemed genuinely interested in everything and everybody he
met." Morris dancers from the village of Bampton also entertained the Prince, and Francis Shergold, the 88-year-old president of the Bampton
Traditional Dancers, was introduced to the Prince. He said: "It was a great honour and I was glad to be here."
Among those in the crowd the Prince chatted to was Donald Thompson, 73, of Jacob's Mill, Witney. He said: "The Prince spotted my Grenadier
Guards tie and I told him I was on duty outside Buckingham Palace in 1953. Last year I was introduced to the Queen at a garden party there."
Earlier, the Prince was greeted by Station Commander Group Capt Malcolm Brecht with a flypast of VC10s as he began a tour of Brize Norton air
base.
During his three hour visit, the Prince was shown some of the military aircraft and the base's parachute training school, and chatted to some of the
base's 3,900 servicemen and 600 civilian workforce.
TRH visit Istanbul and The Prince speaks about the need to preserve the world's rainforests
The Prince of Wales made an impassioned plea today for the global community to do more to save the world's rapidly disappearing rainforests during
his overseas tour of Turkey.
His Royal Highness spoke about the need to preserve the precious habitats he described as providing the planet's "public utility services" and said
they were worth "more dead than alive". Some 150,000 square kilometres of tropical rainforest are destroyed each year – an area equivalent to
England, Scotland and Wales combined.
Once covering over 7 million square miles around the world, tropical rainforests now cover less than 3 million square miles. Scientists estimate that 18
to 25 per cent of total global greenhouse gases emissions result from deforestation.
His Royal Highness made the comments as he addressed a conference on corporate social responsibility in Istanbul, Turkey. Joking with the invited
audience, he told them: "I've been accused of talking to the trees and talking to the plants. I can tell you I've been talking to the trees for so long I
know what's going on."
The Prince, who is nearing the end of a four-day tour of Turkey with The Duchess of Cornwall, said: "In the last six months I have been approached
by various experts who are deeply, deeply concerned about the loss of the remaining rainforests throughout the world.
"I'm talking about the ones in Brazil, Congo, Indonesia those ones, that belt that runs around the centre of the world.
"The deforestation rate is proceeding at such a (rate) that (in) the next 18 months to two years we could have lost so much more that we may then
lose a large part of the battle against climate change." He added that the rainforests were the world's "public utility services" providing it with rainfall
and weather patterns.
"But remember those rainforests, most of them, are more valuable dead than alive because of the way the whole system is structured – crazy totally
crazy." In October this year, The Prince launched The Prince’s Rainforest Project to help combat the continued destruction of tropical rainforests
around the world.
With the support of 12 international companies, The Prince’s Rainforests Project will work with the private sector, governments and environmental
experts to develop a range of practical solutions that can start to be implemented within the next 18 months.
The task is to review, develop and propose practical mechanisms that acknowledge the true value of carbon and the eco-system services provided by
the world’s remaining forests – to make them more valuable alive than dead, of which currently the reverse is true. Click here to read a Focus feature
about the launch of The Prince's Rainforest Project.
Prince Charles visits the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM) at Selly Oak Hospital in
Birmingham
The Prince of Wales today met injured soldiers at a specialist medical centre for wounded troops. His Royal Highness spoke with Armed Forces
personnel recovering at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM) at Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham, during his visit.
The majority of soldiers being treated at the hospital have been injured in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, or have been transferred from other
countries. The Prince, who regularly visits the centre, met military and NHS staff before touring the burns and plastics unit, which treats those
wounded in bomb blasts.
Brigadier Christopher Parker, who began his first day in the post of commandant of the RCDM by showing The Prince around, said: "His Royal
Highness has been kind enough to visit here several times and is well acquainted with the centre. “His visit is very much appreciated by the patients,
their families and the staff looking after them.
"It gives them an enormous boost. We can see that every time he visits them - and there is a positive buzz afterwards." Margaret Gately, who works as
a matron on the burns and plastic unit, said: "His visits are always well received. It gives a boost to the patients and their families.
"In the last six months he has come here on numerous occasions and he always spends time with the patients and is very down-to-earth."
HRH Prince Charles hosts a surprise reception for Walk the Walk founder Nina Barough
Blimey, check out that red bra !
11th December 2007
The Prince of Wales hosted a surprise reception today to say thank you to Nina Barough, founder of health charity Walk The Walk, at Clarence
House. Today's Clarence House reception marked 10 years since Ms Barough began the charity which has since raised more than £35 million for
cancer care and research.
The Prince is Patron of all three charities involved in today's reception: Walk the Walk, Breakthrough Breast Cancer and the Penny Brohn Cancer
Care. Each year thousands of people take part in the Walk the Walk flagship fundraising event, The Moonwalk. This event sees walkers pounding
the streets of London at night sporting their bras to raise money for charity. It was with this in mind that Julia Rennie and Julie Rogers, both from
South Wales, showed The Prince their red fluffy bras decorated with golden crowns.
Mrs Rennie said: "The Prince stopped to chat and asked us how many events we had taken part in. "I told him that I had to tell him a little story. I told
him we had taken part in 19 events all wearing our bras. But the last event we took part in, in Portsmouth, we only wore t-shirts. "When Nina saw us
she told us that we couldn't be in her gang any more and the next time she saw us she wanted to see us in our bras.
"Then I told The Prince that I had something to show him and we showed him a little bit of our bras. Then someone told us we had to show the whole
thing so we opened our shirts and showed him our bras. He was very interested in asking how they were made.
"I was very nervous doing it but I'm glad I did." Ms Barough, who was only told about today's reception by her husband on her way to Clarence House
this morning, greeted The Prince with an emotional hug.
During the reception, The Prince made a speech in which he thanked her for all the work she has done to fundraise and raise awareness of breast
cancer. The Prince said: "Unfortunately I normally have to be with you in a virtual sense rather than in reality although Nina is always trying to get me
to take part in one of these walks. Perhaps it would be handy if I could borrow one of these royal bras. "Or maybe it would be worth doing it just to get
a hug from Nina."
He added: "It is an extraordinary sight to see Nina completely speechless for once.
“She's the person who is the phenomenon and made all this happen, and the reason why you are all here today. "For me it's been a great treat to
meet all those who make everything happen behind the scenes."
The reception, organised by Breakthrough Breast Cancer and Penny Brohn Cancer Care and hosted by The Prince, was attended by many of Ms
Barough's family, friends, fundraisers and sponsors. She said she was "overwhelmed" by the surprise.
She said: "It's like you're getting married but nobody's told you that you're getting married.
"It's a wonderful surprise and it has been great to see so many people involved in Walk The Walk in one room. That normally only happens at
occasions like weddings."
In a short speech at the end of the reception, she said: "I really am speechless. I just want to thank everybody here today; each one of you all know
why you're here. “You've all had a different part to play in Walk The Walk. I know Walk The Walk is very safe in all your hands."
Walk The Walk began a decade ago when 13 women power-walked the New York Marathon in their bras to raise money and awareness for breast
cancer research. From that first event more than £25,000 was raised for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.
Both Breakthrough and Penny Brohn Cancer Care have benefited from Walk the Walk’s fundraising efforts.
The following article, although not directly associated with Prince Charles is certainly worthy of inclusion -- it proves that his missus is
more than capable of holding out her hand to those who deserve our support. Roberts Manor fully stands behind the efforts of
Charles (and Camilla).
The Duchess invites guests from Helen & Douglas House to help decorate the Christmas tree at Clarence House
18th December 2007
The Duchess of Cornwall invited children and young people from Helen & Douglas House to Clarence House to help decorate the Christmas tree
today.
Her Royal Highness is Patron of Helen & Douglas House, a registered charity providing respite and end of life care for children and young adults with
life-shortening conditions, as well as support and friendship for the whole family.
The two hospice houses are bright, vibrant and positive places, where the emphasis is on living life to the full, even when that life may be short.
Children can stay at Helen House and young adults can stay at Douglas House, along with their families, for short periods of time for rest and
recuperation, treatment of distressing symptoms, end of life care and support.
The Duchess of Cornwall visited the hospice in July and extended the invitation to join her at Clarence House to help decorate the Christmas tree.
The 12 specially invited guests joined The Duchess in hanging red and gold decorations on the green 9ft fir, assisted by Welsh Guard Captain James
Larner, who was wearing a tall bearskin hat and gold braided red uniform. The Duchess met 10-year-old Ross Pike, from Bozeat, Northamptonshire,
and admired his shiny red trainers. "I like your shoes. They're very smart. Were they an early Christmas present?" The Duchess asked.
Ross, who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, said afterwards that he was delighted to be invited to Clarence House, adding: "It's exciting. She was
very nice." Capt Larner helped the guests hang tassels, stars and baubles on the tree, using his ceremonial sword. The Duchess was presented
with a teddy bear by Dean Anderson.
The 26-year-old, from Chigwell, Essex, has a genetic condition called Epidermolysis Bullosa which causes blistering of the skin. The Duchess told Mr
Anderson that she would give the cuddly bear to her two month-old granddaughter. Mr Anderson said afterwards: "She said she would give it to her
granddaughter. I told her I just passed my driving test and she asked if it was the first time.”
The Duchess also met Ingrid Warren, 30, from Oxford, who she was first introduced to during her visit to the hospice in the summer. Ms Warren said:
"I had just had a kidney transplant then and she saw me in isolation. She talked about how well I was looking today.
"It's an experience to be here. It's something I couldn't have done if I wasn't at Douglas House."
The guests also joined The Duchess for mince pies and cakes.
Sister Frances Ritchie, who founded the hospice which provides respite and end-of-life care for children and young adults with life-shortening
conditions, said: "It was the most lovely surprise to be invited here. “We're so delighted."
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