Sense Hub Loughborough officially opened by our patron, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal

On Tuesday 19 March 2024, HRH The Princess Royal visited Sense Hub Loughborough to meet with people we support, families, staff and volunteers before officially unveiling a plaque to mark the celebrations.

A group of people outdoors waving union jack flags.
A group of Sense college staff and students await HRH The Princess Royal’s arrival outside the hub, ready to wave their flags to greet her.

Since taking over the RNIB College in Loughborough four years ago, we’ve been working hard to expand our services to support more people with complex disabilities across Leicestershire.

After redeveloping part of the building and launching new programmes, we’re proud to have supported over 1,000 disabled people and their families, alongside our college provision in the last year.

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal is walking next to a man in glasses and a suit. She waves and smiles to people on her right as she walks
HRH The Princess Royal arrives at Sense Hub Loughborough and waves to those lined up to greet her as she enters the building.

To celebrate almost a year since launching Sense Hub Loughborough, our charity patron, Princess Anne, was invited to meet some of the people that we support, our staff and some of the local people that have made our hub expansion possible and continue to do so, as she toured the centre.

During her visit, Her Royal Highness visited the Bell Bar and Green shop, both staffed by students from Sense College as part of their enterprise pathway.

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal greeting people in a room. There is a young man in a wheelchair, next to him is a man standing in a pink suit, a man standing in a grey shirt and a lady standing wearing a patterned black dress.
HRH The Princess Royal meets students and staff in the Bell Bar at Sense Hub Loughborough.

The sun shone as she took a look at our new outdoor hub where a commemorative tree was planted. This space will be opening later this year and will be home to our forest school, as well as gardening and Duke of Edinburgh Award activities.

HRH The Princess Royal plants a commemorative tree in the new outdoor hub space surrounded by donors who’ve helped to fund the project.

She also had a peek in our activity studios where she met Steman and Maya who come along to our free play sessions for under 8’s, had a music demonstration from Kris, Mike and Thomas from our arts team and Sense college and met with Zoe, Chris and Megan from our employment service.

HRH The Princess Royal shakes hands with a man in a wheelchair wearing a grey and red checked suit in a room surrounded by people.
HRH The Princess Royal meets Kris Halpin, Artistic Director for music at Sense.

After a jam-packed tour, HRH The Princess Royal returned to our reception area where after a short speech from Sense CEO Richard Kramer, she unveiled a plaque to celebrate the occasion. A lasting reminder of a very special day for everyone at Sense Hub Loughborough.

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal stands looking at a commemorative plaque on a wall. The plaque is surrounded by a blue curtain. Richard Kramer, Sense CEO stands next to her in a grey suit. To her right is a man in a green military uniform.
HTH The Princess Royal unveils a commemorative plaque, celebrating the official opening of Sense Hub Loughborough.