On Wednesday 19th October, the Bransford Trust and the Royal Porcelain Works Ltd
were delighted to receive HRH Princess Alexandra for a Royal visit. HRH Princess
Alexandra was accompanied by the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Worcestershire, Brigadier
Roger Brunt, while others in attendance included the Chairman of Worcestershire County
Council, Cllr Chris Rogers and the Mayor of Worcester, Adrian Gregson.
On arrival, HRH Princess Alexandra met Mr Colin Kinnear, Chairman of the Bransford
Trust and the Royal Porcelain Works who then introduced her to some of the Bransford
Trust trustees, and the party made their way into the Henry Sandon Hall.
The Henry Sandon Hall is part of a redevelopment of the original Royal Porcelain
Works (founded by Robert Chamberlain in Severn Street) and undertaken by the Bransford
Trust in order to create a new multi-functional space for the use of arts,
entertainment and education in Worcester. The original 1852 showroom was renamed the
Henry Sandon Hall in honour of Henry Sandon MBE.
The transformation of the complete site of the former Royal Porcelain Works was
enabled by the Bransford Trust after years of negotiation with Worcester City Council,
following the closure of Royal Worcester back in 2009, when over 300 workers lost their
jobs at the site. Mr Kinnear himself was a vital driving force in the creation of this
redevelopment, and he and the Bransford Trust remain wholly passionate about the
preservation and regeneration of the area as a rich heritage site, with a vision to
support the arts, music and education through the provision of not just the hall, but
other various creative and community spaces.
Whilst in the Hall, HRH Princess Alexandra was presented to a variety of exhibitors
including some of the tenants of the Royal Porcelain Works, and some of the projects
which The Bransford Trust support around the Worcester community. These exhibitors
included: David Birtwhistle, a well known local watercolourist; Olly Bliss, a local
artist; members from The Monday Night Club (an organisation which supports adults with
learning disabilities), The Worcester Community Foundation, the Worcester Chinese
Society, Fresh Nous, Acuity Finance, The Myriad Centre, The Elgar Festival, the English
Symphony Orchestra, Raise Partnership, Dillons, Worcester Film Festival, Ecrubox, and
the Bransford Community Farm Project.
For the Bransford Trust and the Royal Porcelain Works, this visit provided an
opportunity to showcase some varied charitable initiatives which happen in the
Worcester area and which deliver educational, cultural, community and healthcare
benefits as well as a chance to champion and celebrate increased participation - via
engagement of the local community - in a redeveloped facility in the heart of the
city.
Afternoon tea was then served in the Hall foyer where HRH Princess Alexandra was
presented with a poppy seed cake by Clementine Serrell, and a posy from Laura Gill and
Abigail Revill, representatives from the Monday Night Club. David Shaw from the
Worcestershire Community Foundation gave a closing speech to thank Princess Alexandra
for her visit.