Queen visits residents of homelessness charity

The Queen has visited a Norfolk charity to hear the personal stories from people who have overcome homelessness.

Queen Camilla carried out a visit to the Emmaus Norfolk and Waveney centre to tour its women-only centre based at All Hallows Convent in Ditchingham which opened last year.

The charity gives people who have experienced homelessness, housing insecurity or those living in unsafe situations, a stable home within their community convent.

In her 20th year as Emmaus's patron, she met Sir Terry Waite, the charity's president, and the branch's chief executive Cecile Roberts.

In recent years the charity launched a project giving nine women with traumatic pasts the chance to rebuild their lives.

More recently it launched a men's move-on house scheme following its success.

Meeting residents, known as companions, the Queen heard about the tailored support offered to them by the charity for trauma recovery and how they help residents thrive.

The centre has created a Book Nook, specially curated by companions who have a particular passion for reading, and has a new partnership with Camilla's literary charity, The Queen's Reading Room.

During her visit, she also visited the charity's on-site shop and social enterprise where items made by the companions are sold.

While the Queen was in Norfolk, outside Downing Street new Prime Minister Andy Burnham made tackling homelessness his first official policy announcement by pledging £340m to help at least 3,000 rough sleepers.

In 2023 the Prince of Wales launched his Homewards initiative — a five-year project aimed at making homelessness "rare, brief and unrepeated".

Later this week, the King and Queen are due to meet exhibitors at the first RHS Sandringham Flower Show.

The pair are due to arrive by carriage on Wednesday — the first day of the show and meet exhibitors and members of the public.

Do you have a story suggestion for Norfolk? Contact us below.

Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.