We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

Sophie, Countess of Wessex, 55, is among working Royal Family members to get back to engagements as lockdown has been eased. Prince Edward’s wife paid a special visit to St John Ambulance charity to thank staff and volunteers for their extraordinary work during the pandemic.

During her visit to the Operational Support Hub, Sophie wore a simple St John Ambulance branded green t-shirt and white trousers.

The Countess helped organise deliveries and pack PPE shipments for ambulance crews, specialist cleaners, hospital staff and first aiders.

The royal engagement took place ahead of St John’s Day and Sophie had a special video message for the charity’s staff and volunteers.

The Countess said: “It’s the eve of St John Day and I’m absolutely thrilled to be in Gosport where I’m actually looking and helping to try and put some of the facilities together and equipment together that you are at the receiving end of.”

READ MORE

• Heartbreaking way Prince Edward’s daughter Lady Louise to miss out

Sophie added: “But more than anything I wanted to say a huge thank you.

“Thanks to the whole of St John Ambulance, all of our wonderful volunteers who have stepped up above and beyond during this coronavirus pandemic.

“Thank you for everything that you’ve done and are continuing to do.

“Over 115,000 hours of voluntary service – it’s quite staggering and you should be so proud of yourselves.

“Particularly, I don’t want to name people, but I know that the young people have been doing an awful lot at the blood donation centres.”

The Countess added: “But wherever you’ve been, whether you’ve been driving ambulances in the frontline.

“Whether you’ve been supporting others by packaging uniform and equipment, thank you for what you’ve been doing.

“We rely on you, the country relies on you and you have done yourselves absolutely proud.

“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

DON’T MISS

How Princess Eugenie outshone Prince Harry with surprise royal title[INSIGHT]
Phillip Schofield loses it with Lady C over Harry and Meghan book [VIDEO]
Sophie, Countess of Wessex banned by Royal Family from doing this [INSIGHT]

READ MORE

• Sophie, Countess of Wessex banned by Royal Family from doing this

While Sophie and Prince Edward do not have their own official Twitter account their work is often shared by the Royal Family’s main Twitter page.

The Royal Family shared two tweets about the Countess’s latest engagement on Tuesday.

The first tweet showed photos of Sophie volunteering at the hub with the caption: “The Countess of Wessex, Grand President @stjohnambulance, today visited the charity’s Operational Support Hub to meet and thank volunteers.

“HRH helped organise deliveries and pack PPE shipments for ambulance crews, specialist cleaners, hospital staff and first aiders.”

The second tweet included the video clip of Sophie’s message with the caption: “Thank you for everything you’ve done, and are continuing to do.”

“Ahead of St John’s Day, The Countess also paid tribute to everyone at the Hub and others volunteering with @stjohnambulance

“The charity has been working alongside the NHS since the COVID-19 outbreak.”

Sophie and Prince Edward have been based at Bagshot Park in Surrey throughout the pandemic and have been volunteering locally with several organisations.

Source: Read Full Article