Anne steps in! Princess Royal meets people affected by knife crime in Northampton as King Charles rests following cancer treatment



Princess Anne was photographed undertaking one of her many engagements today as she visited an organisation in Northamptonshire today.

The 73-year-old royal was shown a knife amnesty bin as she visited a group that works to combat stabbings in Wellingborough, called Off The Streets knife crime community group.

During the engagement, King Charles’ sister met volunteers from Off the Streets North Northamptonshire (NN) and heard from those affected by knife crime during the visit at the market town’s Hind Hotel.

Off the Streets NN co-founder Ravaun Jones gave Anne a demonstration of a bleed control kit and a knife amnesty bin.

Anne wore her hair in her typical up do, was dressed in a tweed jacket and brown skirt.

Princess Anne (pictured) is welcomed by Ravaun Jones, Director and Co-Founder of Off The Streets (pictured) during her engagement today)
The Princess Royal is pictured smiling during the visit today, during which she praised the availability of bleed kits

She it was ‘nice’ to see the bleed control kits ‘become more available’. 

Off the Streets NN has placed 203 bleed kits across Northamptonshire, with four of these having been used to save lives in emergency situations.

Anne unveiled a plaque to commemorate her visit to the hotel – which is used by Off the Streets NN for meetings.

The plaque will remain in the hotel until the organisation gets its own premises, and before the unveiling Anne joked: ‘The trouble is finding somewhere to put it.’

Mr Jones said he started Off the Streets NN because of the ‘tragic’ death of 16-year-old Dylan Holliday, who was fatally stabbed in August 2021.

He added: ‘Previously before that, there was quite a lot of stabbings going on throughout our community.

‘However, we just felt like if we could act as a community, and help the authorities as well, then maybe there can be a massive amount of change.’

The 13 amnesty bins placed across the county by Off the Streets NN have resulted in 3,000 knives being discarded.

During her visit, the royal (right), spoke to Directors and Co-Founders Jane Capps (left) and Ravaun Jones (centre) about their work
Anne wore her hair in her standard up to, opting for a tweed blazer and brown past knee skirt for the outing
The Princess Royal spoke to school children during a visit to the Off The Streets knife crime community group

Anne presented certificates to individuals who had supported the organisation and listened to two local schoolchildren read out pieces they had written on knife crime.

In his piece, Taylan Jones, 13, said: ‘I can’t even go out to the park or any public place for that matter without my parents fearing that I may not make it back home.

‘It’s getting worse. And if we don’t act upon it now, we will have a dangerous society.’

He added: ‘We need to bring back youth centres as it gives children a reason to stay off the streets and focus rather than wreak havoc.’

Tiffany Pettit, 14, said in her piece: ‘We need people to be educated so they can be more thoughtful, sympathetic and smart.’

She added that she wished children growing up in Wellingborough could ‘feel safe in their environment’.

The royal is greeted as she arrives at the community group called Off The Streets in Wellington today
Despite her busy schedule, the royal appeared happy to be at the engagement, and seemed interested in the work the group does

The royal visit comes after it was announced that the King would be undergoing regular treatment for an unspecified cancer, which was found during his recent hospital stay for a procedure on an enlarged prostate.

The King’s slimmed-down monarchy has been put under pressure, as Charles postpones all public-facing duties because of his cancer diagnosis and the Princess of Wales is out of action for the immediate future after abdominal surgery.

Anne met volunteers from Off the Streets North Northamptonshire (NN) and heard from those affected by knife crime during the visit at the market town’s Hind Hotel.

Off the Streets NN co-founder Ravaun Jones gave Anne a demonstration of a bleed control kit and a knife amnesty bin.

Anne, dressed in a tweed jacket, said it was ‘nice’ to see the bleed control kits ‘become more available’.

Off the Streets NN has placed 203 bleed kits across Northamptonshire, with four of these having been used to save lives in emergency situations.

Anne unveiled a plaque to commemorate her visit to the hotel – which is used by Off the Streets NN for meetings.

Ravaun Jones, Director and Co-Founder of the community group (pictured, left) showed Princess Anne (pictured, right) a bleed kit during her visit

The plaque will remain in the hotel until the organisation gets its own premises, and before the unveiling Anne joked: ‘The trouble is finding somewhere to put it.’

Mr Jones said he started Off the Streets NN because of the ‘tragic’ death of 16-year-old Dylan Holliday, who was fatally stabbed in August 2021.

He added: ‘Previously before that, there was quite a lot of stabbings going on throughout our community.

‘However, we just felt like if we could act as a community, and help the authorities as well, then maybe there can be a massive amount of change.’

The 13 amnesty bins placed across the county by Off the Streets NN have resulted in 3,000 knives being discarded.

Anne presented certificates to individuals who had supported the organisation and listened to two local schoolchildren read out pieces they had written on knife crime.

In his piece, Taylan Jones, 13, said: ‘I can’t even go out to the park or any public place for that matter without my parents fearing that I may not make it back home.

‘It’s getting worse. And if we don’t act upon it now, we will have a dangerous society.’

As a consequence of illnesses in the Royal Family, the small number of senior royals, including Princess Anne (pictured) are taking on more engagements

He added: ‘We need to bring back youth centres as it gives children a reason to stay off the streets and focus rather than wreak havoc.’

Tiffany Pettit, 14, said in her piece: ‘We need people to be educated so they can be more thoughtful, sympathetic and smart.’

She added that she wished children growing up in Wellingborough could ‘feel safe in their environment’.

The royal visit comes after it was announced that the King would be undergoing regular treatment for an unspecified cancer, which was found during his recent hospital stay for a procedure on an enlarged prostate.

The King’s slimmed-down monarchy has been put under pressure, as Charles postpones all public-facing duties because of his cancer diagnosis and the Princess of Wales is out of action for the immediate future after abdominal surgery.

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