Kate Middletonis highlighting the ways in which addiction and incarceration often intertwine.
ThePrincess of Wales, 41, visited HMP High Down prison in Surrey, England, on Tuesday morning to learn how inmates and their families are being supported through addiction.
Kate observed how theForward Trust, of which she is theroyal patron, helps those in the criminal justice system manage and recover from addiction. She was shown what a family goes through during a normal visit to the jail, beginning with the required security process. The royal also heard about the impact this has on families.
High Down, a men’s prison with around 1,100 prisoners, has been working to try to ensure that it is a more positive experience, for children in particular.
Kate Middleton visits High Down Prison in Surrey, England.Jonathan Brady/PA Images via Getty Images
Jonathan Brady/PA Images via Getty Images
A third project, Family Ties, takes the form of a series of workshops focused on restoring healthy communication and trust between loved ones. This is very much part of the Forward Trust’s ethos, which is to help the intergenerational trauma of addiction.
Kate also spent time in The Clink, a restaurant that trains prisoners in hospitality. She used the opportunity to speak to those who have worked with and volunteered for the charity in prison and the community and learn how they have been supported to recover from and manage their addictions.
Addiction was one of the first issues Kate adopted after she marriedPrince Williamin 2011. That helped lead to her championing mental health awareness, especially the impact that it has on young children.
Kate has been working with addiction charities for more than a decade, helping her understand “the complexities of mental health and has informed much of her work on the early years,” her office at Kensington Palace said.
“Experiences in early childhood, before the age of five, are proven to have significant impact on adult lives, including resilience and the ability to cope with adversity.”
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The Princess became the patron of The Forward Trust in June 2021 when the charity merged with Action on Addiction, which was one of her first royal patronages in 2012.
source: people.com
