Princess Anne in Co Down

Wednesday, 7th March, 2012

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal viewed the SOS Bus and attended a reception for volunteers and sponsors at Hillsborough Castle, County Down. Upon arrival HRH was greeted by the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of County Down, Mrs Fionnuala Cook OBE DL.

Later, in the Throne Room of the Castle, Princess Anne met a number of Funders and Suppliers associated with the SOS Bus. HRH also met a number of Team Leaders and Volunteers who staff the SOS Bus on a regular basis.

Mr Stephen Kingon, Chairman, SOS Bus Northern Ireland, said a few words and presented Her Royal Highness with a gift of a specially commissioned piece of Halcyon Days pottery, before inviting HRH to sign the SOS Bus visitors’ book.

Prior to bidding farewell, The Princess Royal also signed the Hillsborough Castle visitors’ book.

The Princess Royal later attended the “Innovation in Practice” Occupational Therapy Conference, Parliament Buildings, Belfast. Upon arrival HRH was greeted by the Speaker, Northern Ireland Assembly, Mr William Hay MLA.

Accompanied by the Speaker and proceeding to the Members’ Dining Room, Princess Anne met Mr Edwin Poots MLA, Health Minister; Naomi Hankinson, Chairman of Council, British Association and College of Occupational Therapists; Julia Scott, Chief Executive, College of Occupational Therapists; Liz McNabney, Chairman, Occupational Therapy Managers’ Forum, Northern Ireland; and Carolyn Maxwell, Chairman of the NI Board of the College of Occupational Therapists.

Moving to the Private Dining Room, HRH was invited by the Speaker to sign the visitors’ book. The Princess Royal then joined the Conference in the Long Gallery and heard Mr Edwin Poots MLA and Mrs Liz McNabney address the Conference before Her Royal Highness addressed the Conference.

Departing for the final engagement, HRH attended the “Project 500: Public Libraries as Science Learning Environments at Holywood Library, County Down. Upon arrival Princess Anne was greeted by the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of County Down, Mrs Fionnuala Cook OBE DL.

Moving inside and accompanied by Irene Knox, Chief Executive Libraries NI, HRH met invited guests representing the Queen’s University of Belfast, Sullivan Upper School and Priory Integrated College, Libraries NI Board members and Libraries NI staff.

In the main Library, HRH met Valerie Christie, Children’s Services Manager, Libraries NI; Dr Ruth Jarman, Co-Director Project 500; Dr Joy Alexander, Co-Director, Project 500; and Sue McGrath, Director, Science2Life.

The Princess Royal went on to meet the pupils and teachers of Sullivan Upper School and Priory Integrated College.

Ms Knox thanked Her Royal Highness for visiting Holywood Library, before inviting the pupils Natasha Smith, Priory Integrated College, and Peter Adams, Sullivan Upper School, to present HRH with gifts of two books.

The Princess Royal was invited to sign the visitors’ book, bringing the one day of engagements in Northern Ireland to a close.