SHIMNA Valley, the specialist centre in the foothills of the Mournes which provides help and support to young cancer patients and their families, received a right royal seal of approval yesterday when Prince Edward visited the complex.

During his visit to the centre, on the outskirts of Newcastle, His Royal Highness the Earl of Wessex met with young people who have turned to the facility for help, the staff that help run it and the many local volunteers who raise funds for the service, which is part of the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children.

The snow-covered mountains provided the perfect backdrop for yesterday’s event, with one of His Royal Highness’s first remarks being about beautiful surroundings and the centre’s ideal location.

During the course of the two-hour private visit, HRH also presented Gold Duke of Edinburgh awards to several people who completed their award through volunteering with the charity.

Yesterday’s official engagement, which came just a few months after Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall’s visit to Kilkeel, also provided the Earl with the opportunity to hear the charity’s plans for the redevelopment of its Shimna Valley facility, which opened back in 1997. During the course of his visit, charity officials said they hoped His Royal Highness would be able to return to see the new building, once completed.

As the Prince chatted away, putting local people at ease, he mingled with young and old alike, from local teenagers whose lives have been turned upside down by a cancer diagnosis, to the people who volunteer in whatever way they can, doing their utmost to ensure the services provided at Shimna Valley continue for years to come.

As he made his way through the buildings on site, the Prince also met local teenagers who have completed, or are working towards achieving, Duke of Edinburgh awards.

Maria Turner from Saintfield was introduced to the Earl of Wessex on Tuesday.

Recalling his own experiences while working towards achieving the accolade, in a scheme established by his father, Prince Philip, the Earl commented that participating in such an initiative would be one way of coping with what is going on in their own families, following a childhood cancer diagnosis.

“Shimna Valley has taken you away from the challenges you have to face, and reminds you there is a life outside,” he told Duke of Edinburgh participants, as they showed the Prince some of the kit and supplies they carry on camping excursions.

The NI Cancer Fund for Children has been running the Duke of Edinburgh’s award from Narnia since 2005.

It offers teenagers and young adults aged between 14 and 25 years, who are involved in its Youth Programme, the opportunity to complete their bronze, silver and gold awards.

Prince Edward also learned that in the last seven years 140 young people living with cancer have completed the programme through the scheme operating out of the Shimna Valley complex.

Yesterday’s visit also provided the perfect moment for His Royal Highness to present the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Operating Authority Licence certificate to the charity’s chief executive, Gillian Creevy, which means the Fund will be able to design bespoke programmes for the young Duke of Edinburgh participants.

The Earl of Wessex unveils a plaque during his visit to Shimna Valley.

Following a few words from Mrs Creevy, His Royal Highness thanked the charity for extending the invite, and paid particular thanks to the many young people he had met and the charity’s local volunteers.

Jesting with those in attendance, as he prepared to unveil a commemorative plaque, the Earl told his audience that he always endeavours to make such unveilings “as slick and professional as possible.”

He then went on to commend the charity, especially for its work in making the Duke of Edinburgh scheme accessible to so many.

“You have made it possible to let young people dream and imagine, and to make real their true ambitions. Keep up the great, great work you do here,” he said.

Before leaving the complex, His Royal Highness signed the visitors’ book.