Princess Anne visits Newport docks

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Princess Anne visits Newport docks (From South Wales Argus)

THE Princess Royal paid a visit to Newport today to celebrate the centenary of a seafarers' mission in the city.

She visited the Mission to Seafarers branch on Alexandra Docks in Pill and was met by city dignitaries, including Newport's Mayor Matthew Evans and council leader Bob Bright.

She serves as the Mission's president across the world. Each Mission looks to provide support to seafarers who are on visits in 260 ports around the world to make their stay as hospitable as possible. Of the one in Newport, it has been based at the Alexandra Docks for 65 years.

Children from Pillgwenlly and St Michael's Primary School welcomed her as she arrived. Later Isaac George, 11, from Pillgwenlly Primary School presented the Princess with a bunch of flowers.

The Reverend Canon Ken Peters, who introduced three members of the Mission whose service was marked by the Princess, said: "She is always very interested. She speaks to everybody. She is interested in everybody's story, genuinely. And the children brighten things up so much. So much of what seafarers miss is family life."

[TLLK]

It's not an easy life for the sailors or the families left behind. Glad that these organizations are there to help.