Charity’s centenary marked by royal visit

By Shelby Brooks

A royal visit has marked the start of centenary celebrations for a Battersea charity.

The Duchess of Edinburgh toured Katherine Low Settlement (KLS) in Battersea High Street, Battersea yesterday, which has 100 years of experience in reducing poverty and isolation in the area.

The tour included the Duchess visiting an elders’ chair dance class, a sewing group for women newly arrived in the UK and a mentoring session for children and young people.

The Duchess also met members of the community and unveiled a plaque to mark the occasion of the visit.

Sarah Gibb, chief executive of KLS, said: “This year marks the charity’s 100th anniversary of bringing the Battersea community together and we are thrilled to start our centenary year with a royal visit.

“KLS has been lucky enough to have had four previous royal visits since it was founded in 1924, and we are extremely grateful for each and every one of these visits.”

KLS’s core programmes support more than 500 vulnerable people in the area every week.

It was opened by the late Queen Mother, as Duchess of York, in 1924 and she also returned to the Settlement in 1964 to mark its 40th anniversary.

Pictured top: The Duchess visited a sewing class at KLS for women newly-arrived in the UK (Picture: Aisha Seriki)