Prince William hugs student on visit to Poole college

The Prince of Wales has hugged a student, sown broccoli seeds and tried boat building skills during a visit to Dorset.

Prince William was in Poole on Friday to mark a new partnership for his Homewards project, which aims to tackle homelessness.

He visited a housing scheme for people with mental health issues as well as a boat building course linked to the scheme.

During the trip, Bournemouth and Poole College student Natasha Gorry asked the prince for a hug and said she “loved it” when he obliged.

The prince’s five-year Homewards project fosters partnerships to reduce homelessness in six areas around the UK, including Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

It has now joined forces with Lloyds Banking Group, which has made £50m of loans available to organisations tackling the issue.

The prince visited Millennium House, an 11-bed supported housing scheme in Poole, run by Bournemouth Churches Housing Association (BCHA), where he planted vegetable seeds with residents.

He also went to Bournemouth and Poole College to see how Homewards was working with local firms to create employment programmes for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Participants are able to interview for the Sunseeker boat building programme, which is taught at the college’s Sunseeker Skills Academy and at the yacht maker’s shipyard.

While at the college, the prince was shown how to cut a piece of pipe for a boat engine.

He said: “I hope someone checks it before it goes in the boat, don’t want it sinking on us.”

As he was leaving, the prince shook hands with other college students who had gathered outside, and hugged Ms Gorry, 24, from Wimborne.

She said afterwards: “I’m happy, it’s my first time to see Prince William.

“He gave me a hug, I love it.”