Kate visits prison over a cause that is close to her heart

The Princess of Wales has visited a Surrey prison to learn how inmates are being supported by a charity to recover from their addictions.

Kate – wearing a blue outfit and sporting a bandage on her fingers following a fall at home while trampolining – toured HMP High Down in Surrey ahead of Addiction Awareness Week to hear about the efforts of The Forward Trust she supports as a patron.

The theme of this year’s Addiction Awareness Week is “Everybody Knows Somebody”, which aims to highlight the vast array of people across society who are affected by addiction.

The princess shadowed a family during a normal visit, starting with the security procedures that must be followed before visitors are allowed to enter the institution, a Category C men’s prison and young offender institution housing around 1,100 prisoners.

She heard about the impact this has on families and learned about the recent efforts HMP High Down has put into practice to make the experience more positive for children in particular.

Serving prisoners working with The Forward Trust then discussed with Kate their experiences and the support they are receiving from the charity and prison.

The Forward Trust delivers a range of services at HMP High Down, tailored to meet the needs of the men who reside there.

They include The Bridge, an intensive abstinence-based programme, Stepping Stones, a low to medium-intensity intervention for those whose alcohol or drug consumption is at harmful or dependent levels, and Family Ties, a course of workshops focused on restoring healthy communication and trust between loved ones.