Kate Middleton Visits Women's Prison to Support Families in Breaking the Cycle of Addiction, Mental Health and Abuse

Duchess of Cambridge continues her work with mental illnesses

By Kendall Fisher Nov 04, 2016 4:06 PMTags
Kate Middleton, Catherine Duchess of CambridgeLuca Teuchmann/WireImage

Kate Middleton continued on her endeavor to support mental health awareness on Friday.

The Duchess of Cambridge made two stops in Gloucestershire to show her support for women suffering from mental illnesses, especially those stemming from abuse and addiction.

Her first stop was at the women's prison HMP Eastwood Park. There, she spoke with a small number of staff and prisoners to hear their personal stories and learn about the support given to both the women and their families for their varying needs. 

Kensington Palace tweeted, "The Duchess wants to see the support helping vulnerable families break the cycles at the heart of issues like addiction and mental health."

She then made a stop at the Nelson Trust Women's Centre in Gloucestershire, which was establish in 2010 and works hand-in-hand with the prison in order to support women who have vulnerabilities—particularly those who have experienced abuse and trauma. 

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Kate Middleton's Hats & Fascinators

Kate discussed important issues with members of the staff at the center, including prison in-reach and social inclusion support, the sex worker outreach project and rural outreach to young girls at risk.

 

Luca Teuchmann/WireImage

She also spoke with women who have sought support at the center to learn about their stories. A woman named Natasha Penhale and her four-year-old daughter Tilly even presented the Duchess with a bouquet of flowers.

"The Duchess was beautiful and she was really interested in hearing from us," Penhale told media following the visit. "She was so engaging and came across as caring."

The chief executive of the Trust, John Trolan, reiterated that sentiment. "The Duchess is a genuine inspiration to the staff here and it has made a huge difference for her to take the time to come here," he said.  "The Duchess has been fantastic and we were pleased she came to listen. We are pleased as punch."

Though certainly not as important as the matter at hand, Kate looked stunning (as usual) in a Mulberry coat and Dolce and Gabbana skirt.