Prince hails charity ‘safety net’ as he plays table football and shadow boxes with young homeless

The Prince of Wales has played table football and shadow boxed with homeless young people.

Prince William dropped into the Centrepoint base in Ealing, north-west London, on Tuesday, where he spoke to young people who have turned their lives around with the help of the organisation.

The Prince, who this year celebrated 20 years as patron of the charity, used his visit to ask how Centrepoint has been pivotal in helping the service users get back on their feet after the “cliff face” of homelessness, before going on to start university courses and even set up businesses.

After being welcomed to the centre, which offers 17 beds for young people aged 16-25, the Prince, who wore a blue cardigan and chinos, was subbed into a competitive game of table football.

The heir said: “This looks like it’s getting serious, I don’t want to let you down!”

As he attempted to defend his goal, service user Bethany, 24, told the Prince how she had became homeless at the age of 17 with a young child before going on to study at the London School of Economics.

The Prince said: “You are one of the shining examples of how Centrepoint can help people. Can you tell me about the transition of how you came into contact with everyone here?”

Bethany said: “It was close several times to being on the streets, but we were given accommodation that just wasn’t suitable for a young child.

“When I finally got into contact with Centrepoint, they helped me so much with my life skills and everything that was going on with my situation that I was able to go to university, it was totally transformative.

“It was the safety net I needed and without them I do not know where I would be now.”

After drawing the match 2-2, the Prince conceded “we’ll call it an honourable draw” before Centrepoint chief executive Seyi Obakin joined the conversation.

Mr Obakin told the Prince of the importance of “catching young people before it’s too late” and how the charity was constantly working on “identifying ways in which we can help early on”.

The Prince said: “This is it, and this is what I hear time and time again, the safety net that is needed. Because without it, the alternatives are very real and have huge knock-on effects.”

The Prince was then taken outside to join a fitness session run by the Boxwise Foundation.

The organisation, founded by philanthropist Nick Maughan, who also serves as a trustee of the Tusk Trust of which the Prince is a patron, works with the most disadvantaged and vulnerable young people across the UK, striving to reduce the rates of gang violence and knife crime through sport, community and opportunity.

The Prince dived straight in after being handed a pair of gloves by Charlie Beatt, a professional coach who has spearheaded the careers of world champions, saying: “You guys look like you’re professionals already!”

Mr Beatt took the Prince and a group of five youngsters through a set of boxing drills, throwing left and right jabs followed by a left hook leading the future king to admit: “I’m working up a sweat already.”

After congratulating him on his skill-set, the Prince told the trainer: “I might get back into boxing! It’s been a while, a long time actually, but it’s seriously hard work.”

Palace aides said the purpose of the visit was to “listen and learn” about the ways in which Centrepoint has used decades of experience to help people who find themselves on the edges of society.

The Prince is now in his second year of a five-year programme called Homewards, which is aimed at bringing together those suffering from homelessness with businesses, charities and local authorities.

The project, run by his Royal Foundation team, has been working in targeted locations including Aberdeen, Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole, Lambeth, Newport, Sheffield and Northern Ireland – to build relationships with the private and public towards the goal to end homelessness.

Back inside the centre, the Prince spoke to Nora, 21, who was described as a “shining example” of the success of the organisation after setting up her own hairdressing salon and beauty clinic despite being homeless in her teens.

She told the Prince more needed to be done to help young people stay in education instead of being forced to give up their dreams if they find themselves homeless.

He said: “That is truly amazing and quite a big deal to have opened up your own business, so well done to you.

“We have to do more to help people as early as possible, because the cliff face is quite big.

“It can be a steep curve upwards if you get the right support, but a huge drop off if you don’t.”

Agreeing with the Prince, Nora said: “You can’t really build a life if you don’t have the stability, so that is key.”

Following the visit, Mr Obakin said the Prince was a “true ambassador” for the cause, adding: “We couldn’t ask for more. The more he takes on, the more he knows he could be open to criticism. People can say, ‘Oh you live in a palace, what do you know about this situation’, but he listens and he can be the change.

“Everything is laced with risk for him, whether the criticism is that he is being too political or stepping out of his lane, but we need him and we support each other.”

Kensington Palace said Centrepoint, as a key partner of the Prince’s homelessness project, would help to advise the Royal Foundation on the design of the programme, and provide advice and guidance on its ongoing development.

A spokesman said: “As you all know, Homewards is now in its second year and the Prince is focused on the action that can take place across the six locations. He will no doubt take inspiration from the innovative approach he saw at Centrepoint today.”