Princess of Wales visits recovery garden in Southend, meets former addicts

Catherine, Princess of Wales, patron of the charity Forward Trust, visited its newly opened green space in Garon Park, Southend-on-Sea, designed for people recovering from addiction.

During the visit, the princess spoke with several service users, including 45-year-old Steph Sampson from Leigh-on-Sea, who is recovering from alcohol addiction. Sampson told Catherine that at the height of her addiction she lied to her children about her drinking, and that a turning point came when her 21-year-old daughter Mia wrote her a letter pleading with her to give up alcohol. Sampson said she has now been sober for more than six months, and that her relationship with her children has been transformed with the charity's help.

After seeking help from her GP, Sampson was referred to the Southend Treatment and Recovery Service, jointly run by Forward Trust and Open Road, for detox and rehabilitation. She now volunteers as a mentor for the charity's Stars programme.

During her tour, the princess also spoke with Liam King, who leads conservation work at Garon Park, noting that spaces like this are vital in bringing different organisations together to help people who often do not know where to turn for support.

The visit marked Addiction Awareness Week, during which Forward Trust is aiming to spark 17,000 conversations about addiction — a number representing the lives lost each year in the UK to drug- and alcohol-related causes. Forward Trust chief executive Mike Trace said a royal visit helps normalise conversations about addiction across the country.