Kate Middleton Attends XLP Foundation Event With Prince William: Duke and Duchess Lend Support For Anti-Knife Campaign

Kate Middleton Attends XLP Foundation Event With Prince William: Duke and Duchess Lend Support For Anti-Knife Campaign

Kate Middleton and Prince William made a joint visit to XLP project on Friday, March 11 to lend their support of the anti-knife campaign. The Royal couple visited with young people who have been victims of, or have been involved in gang violence and knife crimes.

More than 1,500 children from over 70 schools who live in London’s toughest neighborhoods are currently involved with the XLP project. These children have been referred to the program by police, youth services and their schools. These youngsters are at risk for anti-social behavior and problems related to emotional and mental health.

The youth, ages 11 to 18, relayed firsthand accounts of their experiences with emotional, behavioral and family issues. The Cambridge’s visit took them to Hallows on the Wall in London as well as XLP mentors and program users from three boroughs. William and Kate watched the XLP Anti-Knife campaign public service announcement with the mentors and young people.

Currently 200 volunteers provide much needed support to their local communities. Each mentor commits at least two hours of face-to-face time each week for at least one year to help at risk youth.

The PSA video portrays a series of phone calls from a mentor to a youth who hasn’t been heard from or been to school. An empty school desk and a sneaker lying in the middle of the street are shown. Through the series of phone calls the mentor’s messages become more and more desperate for the young man to return the calls.

The XLP video cuts away, “1,651 young people in London were stabbed over the last year” as a cell phone continues to buzz. Finally, the young man picks up the phone and speaks with the mentor saying, “I’m all right.” With the young man in the background the video relays the message, “We don’t give up. It’s all about relationships. Help us to help them.

Founder and CEO of XLP, Patrick Regan OBE, then relays a message to Londoners asking for their support of the project.

Kensington Palace tweeted several photos of Kate Middleton and Prince William meeting with the mentors and youth that participate in the program. One photo was captioned, “Young people share stories about their experiences with gang violence, crime and family issues @xlplondon.”

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also work with Place2Be and Anna Freud House to bring awareness to mental health issues that affected children and their families. Kate Middleton recently spent a day as a guest editor of the Huffington Post UK as part of her patronage for the two organizations.

The visit comes just a few days after Prince William and Kate Middleton were criticized for using a private jet for a secret family ski holiday in the French Alps. The Cambridge’s were chastised for being lazy and for enjoying luxury vacations while Royal employees may be forced to take pay cuts that would put hardworking men and women at the poverty level or below.

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Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge visit the mentoring programme of the XLP project at London Wall on March 11, 2016 in London, England by FameFlynet