Queen Camilla meets with victims of abuse at homelessness charity

Queen Camilla visited the Emmaus Norfolk and Waveney charity yesterday, touring its women-only residential centre at All Hallows Convent in Ditchingham, marking two decades of her patronage of Emmaus UK.

The 79-year-old was welcomed by Sir Terry Waite, the former Beirut hostage who serves as president of the national charity, along with branch chief executive Cecile Roberts.

Emmaus provides stable accommodation and therapeutic support within a community setting for those who have faced homelessness, insecure housing or unsafe living conditions.

Its women's centre, which opened last year on the site of a former nunnery, is the first in Britain to offer dedicated accommodation and services for nine women.

TRENDING

Stories

Videos

Your Say

The Queen spoke with residents — referred to as companions — who shared deeply personal accounts of overcoming domestic abuse, sexual violence and addiction.

One companion, who cannot be identified, recounted how domestic violence led to her children being placed in care, which in turn drove her towards alcohol dependency.

Having spent 11 months at the centre, she told the Queen it had helped her "get sober" and "see my kids as well."

When Camilla asked what had made the difference, the woman replied: "Just being part of something, making friends."

Another young woman disclosed that she had suffered sexual violence during her childhood and struggled to maintain employment. "In a lot of ways it saved my life," she said of joining the programme.

A companion named Melanie delivered a speech telling the Queen: "For women who have experienced domestic abuse and sexual violence to be seen, heard and empowered means the world."

Camilla told Melanie she was "so impressed" with the community and described her as a "perfect example" of what the programme could achieve, expressing hope it would be replicated across the country.

The charity has also established a Book Nook in the convent's former library — the first created in partnership with Camilla's own Queen's Reading Room initiative.

LATEST ROYAL NEWS

• King Felipe and Spanish royals celebrate World Cup heroes at Zarzuela Palace
• Harry refuses to call football 'soccer' as James Corden teases duke on live TV
• Princess Anne turns heads in £119 ‘Meghan’ dress during Thailand gala

Curated by companions with a love of reading, the cosy space is designed to encourage residents to engage with literature.

The Queen brought a personal selection of books as gifts for the library.

"These are books I've read that I thought you might like," she said. "I love getting everyone reading and hope it brings them as much enjoyment as it brings me."

She toured the on-site shop, where companions sell handmade items including handbags, lamps crafted from recycled fabrics and copper bowls forged on the premises.

Chief executive Mrs Roberts reflected on the project's origins, explaining that when she took up her role eight years ago, no women lived in the 52-room community.

Recognition that female residents required separate facilities led first to a three-bed wing, which filled immediately, and subsequently to the intensive year-long therapeutic programme now serving nine women annually.

While the Queen was in Norfolk, newly installed Prime Minister Andy Burnham used his maiden address outside Downing Street to make homelessness his inaugural policy priority. Downing Street confirmed £340 million in funding to assist at least 3,000 rough sleepers, announced on his very first day in office.

Mr Burnham had earlier received an audience with the King at Buckingham Palace before accepting the invitation to form a government.

The royal family's commitment to the cause extends further through the Prince of Wales's Homewards initiative, launched in 2023 as a five-year programme operating across six locations including Newport, Belfast, Aberdeen and Sheffield, with the ambition of making homelessness "rare, brief and unrepeated."

Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter