The Royal Foundation - News

Prince Harry Launches Project Coach at Community Baseball Organisation Harlem RBI in New York 14 May 2013

The Royal Foundation and Harlem RBI announce a partnership to share learning between Project Coach and Coach Core.

Prince Harry joined in baseball training in Harlem, New York to launch a new partnership to support Harlem RBI's Project Coach, a multi-year continuum of coaching opportunities for youth beginning at the age of 13 and extending through college graduation, and The Royal Foundation's Coach Core. The project will be funded in part by the American Friends of The Royal Foundation. This support will enable Harlem RBI to enhance the quality of the program’s coaching and training and increase the number of participants served by the program. The partnership will create greater continuity, quality and cohesion as the organization seeks to grow and develop leaders in East Harlem, the South Bronx and beyond.

Prince Harry met privately with young Harlem RBI coaches who had spent the day with two Coach Core trainees from London to discuss the role of coaching and mentoring in their local communities and to understand more about Project Coach. His Royal Highness walked around the baseball diamond where team drills were taking place and even managed to hit all three balls pitched to him by New York Yankees Baseball star Mark Teixeira.

Nick Booth, Chief Executive of The Royal Foundation said,

“Creating inspiration and opportunity for young people is a core priority for The Royal Foundation. Following the success of Coach Core in the UK, The Royal Foundation is delighted to partner with Harlem RBI on Project Coach to share learning and the challenges of training the next generation of sports coaches.”

Harlem RBI Executive Director Rich Berlin said, “We are thrilled to partner with The Royal Foundation on Project Coach. Coaching is at the core of Harlem RBI’s mission.

At Harlem RBI, youth grow not only as baseball and softball players, but also as leaders on and off the field.” Beginning at age 13 at Harlem RBI, youth mentor their younger peers during fitness activities, and as they grow in age and skill, they take on additional leadership roles, serving as assistant baseball coaches and working as full-time Coaching Fellows or part time Learning Coaches in the classroom and on the field once they reach college.

“These activities help youth develop the values and skills they need to achieve positive outcomes, including high school and college graduation, and to support younger participants who will one day become coaches themselves,” says Berlin. “I'm proud to say that I wasn't always the Executive Director of Harlem RBI. I started at this organization, like many other staff people, as a coach.”

For more information on Harlem RBI please visit: www.harlemrbi.org

Prince Harry Attends the Opening Ceremony of the Warrior Games 11 May 2013

200 wounded servicemen and women come together in Colorado Springs for the Warrior Games.

Prince Harry joined athletes at the fourth annual Warrior Games in Colorado Springs. His Royal Highness took part in the torch relay to signify the opening of the games, attended a fundraising brunch and took part in a sitting volleyball match which saw Prince Harry’s GB team defeat Olympian Misty May-Treanor’s US forces team.

Speaking at a brunch to raise funds for the Endeavour Fund created by The Royal Foundation and the United States Olympic Committee’s Paralympics Veterans programme, Prince Harry told the audience how he first encountered the Warrior Games when he travelled to America last year:

"The process of recovery, adapting to new realities – both physical and mental – can be a long and desperately tough road to travel.

Sport and the challenge of adventure have an absolutely critical part to play in helping our wounded on this journey, igniting inspiration and motivation through extraordinary achievement. This great initiative – the Warrior Games – embodies this".

Representing The Royal Foundation, Prince Harry spoke about the importance of physical activity as part of the recovery process for injured servicemen and women and about his desire for his Foundation to bring the Warrior Games back to the UK. Prince Harry said:

"A year ago I was in Washington on the ambassador's lawn to plant a tree, which is what most of our family do nowadays, but after doing that I had the chance to meet some of the US and UK teams. I (remembered) thinking to myself how unfortunate I had been by not having the chance to go to last year's Warrior Games to see them win all their medals - despite of the fact we weren't officially part of it."

"I don't see how it wouldn't be possible to fill a stadium with 80,000 people, not to watch Olympics, not to watch Paralympics but to watch wounded servicemen fight it out amongst each other - not on a battlefield but in a stadium."

For more information on the 2013 Warrior Games please visit: www.teamusa.org/warriorgames/

Prince Harry Visits Organisations Making a Real Impact on Youth Violence in Nottingham 25 April 2013

Prince Harry visits St Ann’s to encourage collaboration between three youth charities.

Prince Harry met with three excellent community organisations at the Russell Youth Centre in St Ann’s. His Royal Highness was entertained by young people of all ages trained by the Community Recording Studio, in genres ranging from classical instruments to rap and video. After a private conversation with a group of young leaders in St Ann’s, Prince Harry then visited the graffiti wall and watched a demonstration from a community boxing organisation which has helped divert young people from gang violence to sport.

The Royal Foundation is delighted to be supporting a new partnership between three groups that have been working with young people in St Ann's for decades. EPIC is a partnership of head teachers and key youth workers in the area, Learn2Learn provides alternative education for those who have been excluded from mainstream education and the Community Recording Studio has been helping young people to express themselves through music for twenty years.

The Royal Foundation will help to fund a project which will draw on the talent and experience of the three organisations to create early intervention programmes for young people growing up in the area. It will combine support for fun, active, educational projects for younger children with the development of peer education and peer mentoring schemes for older young people. These mentors will work with their peers and younger children to help them make positive choices in life and become the next generation of community leaders. The mentors will also support children during the often challenging transition from primary to secondary school.

A key component to success for this programme will be the availability of valuable and engaging activities in the community. The Community Recording Studio is an excellent example that draws scores of young people from the local area and helps them to cultivate their talents through music.

KK Boxing, although not currently a partner in this programme, is also recognised by The Royal Foundation as a valuable youth project in the area and Prince Harry thoroughly enjoyed meeting the young people and watching an excellent display of boxing.

Prevention of Addiction Project is Launched in Manchester 23 April 2013

The Duchess of Cambridge and John Bishop launch the M-PACT Plus project to help children and families affected by addiction.

On Tuesday 23rd April The Duchess of Cambridge and John Bishop visited The Willows Primary School in Wythenshawe, Manchester, to launch the M-PACT Plus project, a new counselling programme focusing on preventing the cycle of addiction.

The M-PACT Plus project aims to address the needs of children affected by parental substance misuse, the lack of specialist support for them and the seemingly inevitable outcomes of high drug dependency in these children, often by their early teens. Primary schools provide the ideal location for ensuring children are identified early and receive the support they need.

The Duchess of Cambridge said…

“I have been struck by the profound and deeply damaging impact it has on the children of affected parents. Research has shown that children of those who are addicted are seven times more likely to have addiction problems themselves. They are also brought up surrounded by fear, instability and chaos.

“Last year, I asked The Royal Foundation, which I share with William and Harry, to see what could be done to help these children. In partnership with Comic Relief, our Foundation commissioned a piece of research to explore this issue. Today, it gives me an enormous feeling of pride and excitement to launch a programme that will bring this research to life.”

Funded by Comic Relief and The Royal Foundation, the project relies upon Place2Be staff who are already working in schools with children and parents, to manage the delivery of a counselling service for primary school children, whilst Action on Addiction staff will provide them with the skills and knowledge through specialist clinical support for practitioners. The partnership hopes to fund four pilots in Manchester, County Durham, Essex and/or London.

Coach Core Pilot is Launched in Scotland 8 April 2013

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge launch new Coach Core project in Glasgow

Coach Core aims to train and inspire the next generation of young sports coaches and the Glasgow project builds on the first pilot launched in London prior to the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. Glasgow will be the focus of much sporting attention in the year ahead as it prepares to launch the 2014 Commonwealth Games and as part of its legacy programme the city is keen to ensure young people have access to great coaches and also are able to find opportunities through sport to see coaching as a career path.

The Royal Foundation has worked with Glasgow Sport and the Hunter Foundation to develop the new pilot under which at least twenty young people from the city will receive an eighteen month apprenticeship programme leading to additional skills in both their own sport, as a coach and also vocational qualifications which will help them into coaching as a career.

As part of the visit The Duke and Duchess met aspiring young sports coaches to hear first hand how sport can provide inspiration and opportunity. Their Royal Highnesses also joined in as groups of young people from the Drumchapel area of the city and surrounding districts took part in a range of sports including athletics, hockey, tennis, table tennis, basketball and gymnastics.

Launching the programme The Duke of Cambridge said…

"Coach Core is a simple idea which, we hope, will have far-reaching results. Just a short time here at this Leisure Centre leaves me in no doubt that the role models to whom young people can aspire are not just out there – on the television or in magazines or in professional sport – but right here in Drumchapel, and in countless other neighbourhoods up and down the Country.

The energy and brilliance of young coaches has the ability, like nothing else, to inspire others – to improve self-esteem and competitiveness, to channel natural aggression, to build respect for others and yourself, to improve health, and to teach new and creative ways of thinking."

The programme will be delivered by Glasgow Sport through their network of sports clubs and community sports hubs. Chair of Glasgow Sport and the Executive Member for the Commonwealth Games, Councillor Archie Graham, said:

"Sports coaches are at the very heart of sport in Glasgow we are honoured that Their Royal Highnesses chose the city to launch the Scottish pilot of the Coach Core initiative. London 2012 inspired a generation and we want to continue that journey through the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the 2018 Youth Olympic Games. Coach Core will help us do that."

Funding for the pilot has been received from leading Scottish charity the Hunter Foundation. Sir Tom Hunter, its founder and Chairman said:

"Coach Core is an exceptional model of positive social intervention in that it uses sport to enable lasting change at a grassroots, community level.

As a Foundation we are delighted to have supported The Royal Foundation in bringing this important initiative to Scotland; our hope is that the apprentice coaches employed by Glasgow Life each year will deliver transformational change in their communities through sport development… as importantly we'd like to see Coach Core delivered over time in every local authority in Scotland through the leadership of The Royal Foundation and Glasgow Life."

As Coach Core develops as a national programme The Royal Foundation hopes to develop new pilots in different cities and sports, and also to build strong links between the participating young people and organisations to ensure learning is shared and all those involved feel part of a wider initiative.

Race2Recovery 23 January 2013

Congratulations to the Race2Recovery team for becoming the first ever disability team to complete the world’s toughest race

Race2Recovery, the first ever recipient of a grant from the Endeavour Fund set up by The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, are celebrating making history by becoming the first ever disability team to complete the Dakar Rally.

The team’s Land Rover Defender-based Wildcat race vehicle and its crew of driver Major Matt O’Hare and co-driver Corporal Phillip Gillespie, completed their sensational achievement as they crossed the finish line of the final stage in Santiago, Chile, on Saturday 19th January to signal the end of an extraordinary two weeks of racing that saw the team’s other three Wildcat vehicles fall out of the race at various stages along the way.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who have followed the team’s progress since Day One sent a message to the team:

"Catherine and I have heard the wonderful news about your success today - many, many congratulations. We know it was not easy, but you have today become true record holders as the first ever disability team to complete what is one of the world's toughest challenges. What you have achieved was a triumph of perseverance and teamwork, and you have shown the world what true valour looks like. We hope you get some rest now, and, please, no driving like that on our roads when you're back!"

Corporal Phillip Gillespie, 24, from Ballymena, Northern Ireland, who is a leg amputee as a result of injuries sustained in Afghanistan, said:

“We have found out first-hand why they call the Dakar Rally the hardest race in the world. It has pushed every single one us to our limits and beyond. To be able to stand here at the finish line and say we achieved what we set out to achieve, to become the first ever disability team to complete the Dakar Rally, feels magical. Our team motto is ‘beyond injury – achieving the extraordinary’ and we’ve done just that. I hope that we’ve been able to inspire people who may be facing difficulties through injury or illness. The support we’ve received from everyone – our sponsors, supporters, families, friends, the military and complete strangers – has been amazing and is testament to the ability and dedication of this team.”

The Race2Recovery team’s four Wildcat race vehicles took to the start line in Lima, Peru on the morning of Saturday 5th January, signalling the start of 15 days of racing 9000km over extreme mountain and desert terrain. The team are raising money to support Tedworth House Personnel Recovery Centre. For more information please visit: www.race2recovery.com

Race2Recovery 11 January 2013

Follow the Race2Recovery team on their epic mission to become the first ever disability team to complete the 9,000km Dakar Rally

On Sunday 6th January the four Wildcat vehicles which make up the Race2Recovery team set off from Lima, Peru on the fifteen day Dakar Rally.

After Day 5 of the Dakar Rally, two of the Race2Recovery cars made it through a gruelling fifth day to compete in Stage 6. However unfortunately the Race2Recovery rally team of injured soldiers and civilian volunteers have confirmed that the car of driver Captain Harris and co-driver Cathy Derousseaux, has been eliminated and the car of driver Justin Birchall and co-driver Corporal Tom Neathway suffered mechanical failure as a result of major damage caused by a punishing run and were forced to retire.

Having returned to the team’s bivouac late at the end of Stage 2 following technical issues with the vehicle, Captain Harris had been allowed to start Stage 3 on the basis that a decision was pending on the analysis of the previous day’s results. A committee of the race organisers met and, based on the evidence before them, determined that Captain Harris and co-driver Cathy Derousseaux’s vehicle had not reached sufficient way points due to their vehicle breakdown and would not be allowed to continue in the Dakar Rally.

“To say we’re gutted is an understatement,” said Captain Harris after his elimination from the race. “In the back of our minds we thought this might be a possibility. I can’t really explain how Cathy and I feel after all the effort and the two years of hard work and training – it’s like a knife through our hearts and hasn’t really sunk in yet. However, we now have to pick ourselves up and channel our personal disappointment into energy and support for the rest of the team. The Race2Recovery project has always been about the whole team and we still have Wildcats competing strongly in the rally. Our job is to get them safely over the finishing line now and that has to be our focus. We will be Race2Recovery’s official cheerleaders!”

Two Race2Recovery vehicles are still focused on the finish line and if successful will become the first ever disability team to complete the gruelling Dakar Rally. Please join The Royal Foundation in following their progress at www.race2recovery.com and tweet your support @Race2Recovery.

The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund27 November 2012

The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry is set to become the legal owner of The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund after it operationally closes at t

As an unincorporated trust, the Fund, as a matter of law, cannot altogether cease to exist when it closes its doors. As part of the preparations for the Fund’s planned closure, the Directors of the Fund have been very keen to ensure that if any money is donated to the Fund after its operations have ceased, this money is not lost to charity and instead continues to make a positive difference to people’s lives.

Therefore, in March 2013 The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry will take over the legal ownership of the closed Fund in order to safeguard both the Fund’s name and any further income donated to the Fund in the future.

Since 1997 the Fund, which will cease to operate in December 2012 after 15 years of grantmaking, has given over £100 million to charitable causes and supported more than 400 organisations in every continent across the globe.

Nick Booth, Chief Executive of The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry said:

“The Fund has carried out fantastic work over the last 15 years to continue the legacy of Diana, Princess of Wales and improve the lives of some of the most disadvantaged people in the world. We feel it is appropriate and important that the Royal Foundation becomes the legal owner of the Fund after its planned closure, to ensure both the Fund’s name is safeguarded and any future income donated to the Fund is able to be spent on charitable causes.”

Endeavour Fund 7 November 2012

The Endeavour Fund makes its first grant to Race2Recovery.

The Endeavour Fund, created by The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, is delighted to announce its first grant to Race2Recovery of £100,000. The Endeavour Fund is also assisting Race2Recovery to secure additional practical and financial support.

Race2Recovery are a team of volunteers, racing to inspire those who are injured, disabled or facing adversity, by being the first team of predominantly injured servicemen to complete the formidable Dakar Rally in South America in January 2013.

More than just a simple race to see who is quickest, the Dakar demands off-piste navigational capability and consistency in addition to using vital technical and engineering skills that team members acquired during their careers in the Armed Forces. 9000km in 15 days it is truly unique and the hardest in the world, hence it is the ambition and goal of the Race2Recovery team to conquer this life changing challenge.

For more information on Race2Recovery explore www.race2recovery.com.

Coach Core Launch 26 July 2012

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry join young sportsmen and women to launch their Coach Core initiative.

Their Royal Highnesses launched the Foundation's new Coach Core programme in partnership with the Greenhouse Charity at a sports festival at Bacon’s College, Rotherhithe, London.

Good coaching is the difference between sport which simply occupies children for a few hours and sport which has the power to inspire and encourage young people to aim higher. Coach Core aims to train young people to become professional coaches and mentors enabling them to give back to their communities and inspire and motivate others through the power of sport.

After a private discussion with ten of the first cohort of Coach Core trainees, Their Royal Highnesses took part in sporting activities. The Duchess of Cambridge proved a skillful table tennis player before moving on to referee a judo match. The Duke of Cambridge showed off his football skills whilst Prince Harry tried his hand at basketball. There were then speeches by the Principal of Bacon’s College John Martin, The Duke of Cambridge, a Coach Core trainee Timi Tinubu and the Chief Executive of Greenhouse Charity, Michael de Giorgio.

Expanding Horizons 17 June 2012

The Duchess of Cambridge visits school children on an outdoor adventure

The Duchess of Cambridge visited an ‘Expanding Horizons’ Primary School Scheme at Widehorizons Margaret McMillan House in Kent, where she met children from Absolute Return for Kids (ARK) King Solomon Academy Primary taking part in an outdoor residential course.

During the visit, The Duchess joined the school children in their outdoor activities, such as building a shelter, making campfires and outdoor cooking.

The Expanding Horizons Scheme is a project coordinated by ARK Schools, which gives children from inner-city backgrounds the opportunity to venture into the countryside and develop their confidence and teamwork skills. The goal of the programme is to enable schools in deprived areas to lead their own trips safely, enjoyably and at low cost. The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry is supporting ARK in the development of their Expanding Horizons programme as both organisations share a common vision and commitment to transform the lives of children.

Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge 13 June 2012

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge join Her Majesty The Queen on a visit to a Queen Elizabeth II Field in Nottingham

The Royal Party travelled to Vernon Park to mark a Fields in Trust project for the Diamond Jubilee. As Patron of the Queen Elizabeth Fields Challenge – a project supported by The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry - The Duke of Cambridge spoke about Her Majesty The Queen’s devotion to preserving green spaces for future generations. The Queen also unveiled a plaque to name the playing field as one of the Queen Elizabeth II Playing Fields. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge remained at Vernon Park after The Queen had departed, to view more activities and meet people involved in the Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge.

Atlantic Council Award 7 May 2012

Prince Harry is awarded the Atlantic Council's 2012 Award for Distinguished Humanitarian Leadership

Prince Harry was awarded the Atlantic Council’s 2012 Award for Distinguished Humanitarian Leadership in recognition of his charitable and humanitarian work supporting Servicemen and women. The Prince collected the Award at the Atlantic Council’s annual Awards Dinner on 7th May in Washington, DC.

Prince Harry accepted the award on behalf of his brother The Duke of Cambridge, and their joint work through The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. Prince Harry used the opportunity to pay tribute to British and American veterans’ charities for their achievements in helping to rehabilitate wounded Servicemen and women and to reintegrate those who have served in the Armed Forces into civilian life.

As part of his visit, Prince Harry also attended a reception at the British Ambassador’s residence in Washington, to meet teams of British and American veteran athletes, who took part in the Warrior Games in Colorado.

This reception was made possible in part by a donation from the American Friends of the Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, and also the kind assistance of the United States of America Olympic Committee.

Charitable Gift Fund 29 April 2011

The Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton Charitable Gift Fund

Following the announcement of the Royal Wedding, Prince William and the then Miss Catherine Middleton suggested that a number of charities, that they wished to select personally, should benefit from charitable gifts made by the public in place of presents. The Gift Fund raised over £1million for the twenty six chosen charities.

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