Royal recognition for charity supporting thousands into work
A Shropshire charity which supports thousands of young people and unemployed adults into training and work yesterday welcomed for The Princess Royal as it marked its 25th anniversary.
HRH The Princess Royal toured a Telford centre to meet some of the youngsters which are provided with training, mental health support and employment opportunities by Landau.
The training and supported employment charity works with some of the most vulnerable in society, including veterans, those with learning disabilities and looked-after children.
The Princess Royal, met by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire, Jenny Wynn, at the Marches Construction Ready Partnership Training Hub in Trench, was introduced to users of Landau’s services by CEO Sonia Roberts.
Mrs Roberts said: “We were absolutely delighted to host The Princess Royal here today and for her to hear the inspiring stories of some of the 3,000 plus young people and adults we support right across the Marches region.
“All our services are focused on making sure we deliver individualised interventions which make a real difference to the lives of our users. The Princess was really interested in not only how our approach was helping support the well-being and self-esteem of young people, but the practical support, whether that’s learning how to lay a brick or join the customer service workforce.”
During the visit, The Princess also spoke to the charity’s partner organisations including Grease Monkeys, which engages young people referred from The Mental Behavioural Support Service to learn new skills in car mechanics in their workshop.
Another of Landau’s project partners, the Wrekin House Trust, also took the opportunity to showcase how unemployed adults had been taken on to learn new skills required for passivhaus home construction as the sector moves towards a greener approach to building.
After the tour, the Princess joined Landau’s Chair, Mrs Marcelle Kite, to unveil a plaque marking its 25th anniversary. Founded in 1995, the charity works with a diverse range of people, from the age of 15, in areas of high deprivation, socially excluded and all unemployed.
