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Princess Kate offered a glimpse into one of Prince William’s lesser-known interests as she joined people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction for an outdoor gardening session.
The visit formed part of a new initiative focused on the positive impact that spending time in nature can have on wellbeing. Catherine toured Garon Park in Southend, Essex, where facilities include a wellbeing walking route and a dedicated gardening space. People using the Forward Trust’s Southend Treatment and Recovery Service can visit the area to walk and talk or get involved in gardening activities.
For the engagement, Catherine wore her long hair in loose waves and opted for a statement houndstooth blazer.
The Princess of Wales, who is patron of the Forward Trust, made the visit to coincide with Addiction Awareness Week. Speaking about the importance of spending time outdoors during recovery, she said nature is “so vital for healing”.
Later, Catherine sat at a park bench to help pot plants and chose to work without the gardening gloves she had been offered.
Describing the planting area as a “fantastic place”, she revealed that William is particularly knowledgeable and enthusiastic about gardening.
Catherine said: “I should have my husband here, he knows a lot [about gardening], he’s really passionate.”
Princess Kate offered a glimpse into one of Prince William’s lesser-known interests as she joined people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction for an outdoor gardening session.
The visit formed part of a new initiative focused on the positive impact that spending time in nature can have on wellbeing. Catherine toured Garon Park in Southend, Essex, where facilities include a wellbeing walking route and a dedicated gardening space. People using the Forward Trust’s Southend Treatment and Recovery Service can visit the area to walk and talk or get involved in gardening activities.
For the engagement, Catherine wore her long hair in loose waves and opted for a statement houndstooth blazer.
The Princess of Wales, who is patron of the Forward Trust, made the visit to coincide with Addiction Awareness Week. Speaking about the importance of spending time outdoors during recovery, she said nature is “so vital for healing”.
Later, Catherine sat at a park bench to help pot plants and chose to work without the gardening gloves she had been offered.
Describing the planting area as a “fantastic place”, she revealed that William is particularly knowledgeable and enthusiastic about gardening.
Catherine said: “I should have my husband here, he knows a lot [about gardening], he’s really passionate.”
Steph explained to Catherine that understanding addiction as an illness while she was in rehabilitation had fundamentally changed her perspective.
She told the Princess: “Being in rehab and learning that it was an illness was a massive turning point. I could explain that to my children and my mum.”
Catherine responded with encouragement, telling Steph that her loved ones “must be super proud,” before adding: “It’s such a powerful message for others. Well done.”
The Forward Growing initiative, created in partnership with Garon Park, offers weekly gardening activities alongside “walk and talk” sessions. Participants recovering from addiction can explore the nature trail, develop practical skills and build connections with others going through similar experiences.
The benefits of nature have become an important theme in Catherine’s work in recent years. She has also spoken publicly about the role that spending time outdoors played during her own cancer treatment and subsequent recovery.
During her visit, the Princess praised the green space as a “fantastic environment” and highlighted how valuable accessible outdoor areas can be for organisations supporting local communities.
Speaking to Dr King, Catherine said: “Spaces like this are so vital for lots of different organisations to be able to come together and use. Often people don’t know where to go.”
Produce grown in the garden is later transported to the Forward Trust’s Southend site, where people in recovery are given the opportunity to develop further practical skills by learning how to prepare and cook the vegetables they have helped cultivate.
This year’s Addiction Awareness Week is centred around The Big Addiction Conversation, a campaign designed to get people across the UK talking more openly and honestly about addiction. The initiative seeks to improve public understanding, challenge the stigma surrounding addiction and make it easier for those struggling to reach out for support.
Running until Friday, the campaign hopes to generate 17,000 conversations about addiction. That target was chosen to reflect the number of people who lose their lives each year in the UK from causes related to drugs or alcohol.
