Princess Anne opens vital community hub for armed forces’ families

Princess Anne has been spotted during a visit to the south of England on Tuesday (Image: PA)Princess Anne has been spotted during a visit to the south of England, in which the late Queen’s daughter presided over the opening of a new community hub. The Princess Royal, 72, travelled to Gosport, near Portsmouth, for the unveiling of the community centre providing support for families with members serving in Britain’s armed forces.Princess Anne is a patron of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity, which put forward a £400,000 grant to set up the centre.The local hub is expected to come to the aid of 435 children in the Gosport and Fareham area of Hampshire.Mandy Lindley, who heads up the relationships and fundings sector of the charity responsible for funding the project, said she was ‘proud’ of the centre’s construction, which came with ‘personal significance’ for her and her family.She said: “As a Royal Navy veteran and Gosport resident of over 40 years, I am part of a proud and significant Royal Navy community in this area.”My husband and I both served and my family have experienced some of the unique challenges and difficulties that come with service life, experiences shared by many families here in Gosport.”Therefore, the creation of the Gosport Community Hub to support local Royal Navy families and the wider school community has personal significance for me, and I am proud that the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity has been at the forefront of delivering this milestone facility.”More to follow…