Britain’s Princess Anne has opened a new youth arts centre in Jersey.
The Princess Royal toured the £2.3 million St. James Centre – which is housed in a converted church – in St. Helier and got to see a performance space, studios, rehearsal rooms and a radio station.
Additionally, the facility will offer the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme in a former primary school behind the church, and the youth inquiry service will be in the former rectory next door.
Youth officer Mark Capern said the opening was the culmination of five years’ work.
He said: "From the scaffold-covered building three years ago, we’ve produced a phenomenal facility for both young people and the wider arts community in a reinvented, unique heritage site."
During her visit to the island, Anne also visited the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, where she unveiled a plaque to mark the 90th anniversary of the birth of founder Gerald Durrell.
Meanwhile, it has been announced Anne will attend an upcoming Aviva Premiership Rugby match between Northampton Saints and Saracens in April in her role of patron to charity Transaid.
Jong Jin Park, Managing Director of Hankook Tyre UK – a partner of Transaid – said: "It gives us great pleasure to welcome HRH The Princess Royal in her role as patron of Transaid as it further cements our long-standing relationship with them in addition to providing our local community with a real sense of pride. It also gives us great pleasure to extend our support even further with the combined efforts of the Northampton Saints, who have been kind enough to work with us in helping to develop additional fundraising activities which will take place later in the season."
The game takes place on April 25.
Princess Anne opens arts centre
