Prince and Princess of Wales head to Newtown

The Prince and Princess of Wales will be heading to Newtown and Llanidloes tomorrow in their first joint visit to the area.

The visit is expected to focus on community life and volunteering in the county, which has one of the highest levels of volunteering per head of population in the UK.

The day is set to begin in Llanidloes, where the royal couple are scheduled to visit The Hanging Gardens, a community run hub in the town centre. The project operates as a café, indoor market and shared space supported by local volunteers. During the visit, they are expected to meet members of the volunteer team and take part in activities linked to St David’s Day preparations.

They will then travel to Newtown for two further engagements. A visit to Oriel Davies Gallery is planned, where they are due to view a community art project involving local children. The project is understood to focus on creativity, wellbeing and connection with nature. The couple are also expected to meet a Welsh learners group at the gallery café.

The final stop of the day is scheduled to take place at Hafan yr Afon, the riverside café and events venue which opened in 2022 as part of the town’s regeneration programme. 

There, they are expected to join a gathering celebrating volunteer groups and community representatives from across Powys. The event is being supported by the Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations, which works with voluntary and community organisations across the county.