- The Princess of Wales has made a solo public appearance at Garon Park in Southend, Essex, to visit the Forward Trust's Forward Growing initiative.
- As patron of the charity, Kate toured the garden project which supports individuals recovering from addiction by encouraging them to engage with nature.
- The visit marked Addiction Awareness Week, an event first launched by the princess in 2021 to encourage open conversations about addiction.
- During her tour, Kate praised the space and remarked that her husband is really passionate about gardening and knows a lot about the subject.
- The princess reaffirmed her call for society to end the stigma surrounding addiction, stressing that it is a complex mental health condition requiring empathy rather than judgement.
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