Princess of Wales Helps 94-Year-Old Board Village Minibus in West Sussex
Catherine joined a volunteer-run minibus service in Pulborough, helping a 94-year-old passenger aboard before sharing a village hall lunch with local residents.
The Princess of Wales travelled on a community minibus in West Sussex and helped a 94-year-old passenger get on board. Catherine visited the village of Pulborough to mark an anniversary for the West Sussex Minibus service, whose team of volunteers transport older people across the area.
What happened in Pulborough
According to the BBC, Catherine was picked up by the minibus in the village and went to the home of Stella Drewett, a retired school cook. She walked to the front door, said "Good morning" and helped Drewett guide her walking frame along the garden path and onto the vehicle. "Well done," the princess told her.
Drewett is a new user of the service. She said she uses it for her weekly shopping trip and for a lunch held every Wednesday at Pulborough village hall. Before the visit, she joked that when she was told a celebrity was coming, she replied that she did not know any celebrities. Asked about the lunches, she said they meant "one day of not cooking".
Lunch at the village hall
The group then went to the weekly lunch run by the Pulborough and District Community Care Association. The Independent reports that Catherine shared a meal of soup, bread, cheese and crisps with about 50 local people.
Regular attendee Lynda Jones, 74, told the princess the lunch "makes a lot of difference if you've lost your partner". Catherine replied: "What a lovely way to make friends."
The Independent says Jones praised the princess's warm and natural manner.
A few words from the organisers
Alan Jenkins, a trustee at West Sussex Minibus, told BBC Radio Sussex the visit was about promoting what the volunteers do for older people. "She's done a fantastic job talking to our members," he said.
As she left, Catherine greeted well-wishers along her route. She also played a jumping game with two young brothers, Arthur, three, and Albie, one. Their mother, Thea, 25, said she had not expected the princess to be playing with her children.
Which anniversary was it?
The sources differ slightly on what was being celebrated. The BBC says the visit marked the 50th anniversary of the West Sussex Minibus service. The Independent describes it as the 60th anniversary of the weekly lunch gathering. These may be two separate milestones, but the sources do not explain the difference.
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