THE Duke of Kent visited an employment charity in Kidderminster where he chatted about new skills and the world of work before taking a tour of St George’s Park to see its thriving community partnership.

Prince Edward, cousin to both The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, took a tour of Beacon Employment, in celebration of its contribution to local communities in supporting people with barriers towards employment.

His Royal Highness was joined on Tuesday by dignitaries including Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire Michael Brinton and his wife Angela, Mayor of Kidderminster, Jeff Baker, High Sheriff for Herefordshire and Worcestershire, Elizabeth Hunter and chairman of Worcestershire County Council, Mary Drinkwater.

The Duke was greeted by Beacon’s chief executive, Sandy Beech, who guided him around workshops at the centre, on Hoo Farm Industrial Estate.

Mrs Beech said: “Beacon was very pleased to welcome His Royal Highness and other such prestigious visitors. Staff and clients were particularly impressed by the Duke’s knowledge and interest in our work combined with his enthusiasm and empathy for our clients.”

Later in the afternoon the Duke visited St George’s Park to see the benefits of partnership working between Vestia Community Trust, Wyre Forest District Council and Friends of St George’s Park to create a thriving community park.

His Royal Highness was greeted by Ian ‘Spike’ Betterton, who is chairman of Friends of St George’s Park, an active community group made of local residents, councillors and organisations working in the Horsefair area.

Prince Edward was given a tour of the park and looked at a story board that had been created to show the history of the park and the ambitions of the Friends group.

Relatives of the original donors of the park, George Woodward, Reginald Brinton and Cecil Brinton attended the event and replicated the planting of trees which took place at the opening ceremony in 1927.

During the 40-minute visit, the The Duke saw young people using the BMX track and children from St George’s CE Primary School told him about their recent daffodil day when they helped the Friends group plant 6,000 bulbs in the park, funded by Grassroots grants.

At the end of the visit, The Duke unveiled a new community notice board at the park entrance, which was funded by Wyre Forest Community Housing’s Fairways Tenant Consultative Committee (TCC).