BLIND ex-service personnel at a Llandudno rehabilitation centre were left ‘over the moon’ following a Royal visit by Prince William of Wales.
The former North Wales Medical Centre on Queens Road in Craig y Don, which is currently being transformed into the latest centre for St Dunstan’s - a national charity offering lifelong support to those who have served and lost their sight - was visited by the Prince on Monday, to showcase the vital work which will be carried out.
Prince William, who is currently training as a search and rescue helicopter pilot on Anglesey, spent the day trying his hand at a game of blind archery and sampling a range of equipment and services which will be available at the new centre when it is scheduled to open in 2011.
He also spent time with the beneficiaries of the charity, including Keith Roberts, 78, from Penrhyn Bay, who suffers from progressive glaucoma, who was on hand to explain the role of St Dunstan's to the Prince.
He said: “I was demonstrating a new type of scanner where you can slip the document in and it reads it back to you. I was over the moon. The Prince, actually put on a pair of goggles to make him see how I see.
“One of the other chaps asked for an invite to his wedding, but he answered ‘We’ll have to wait and see’ - he took everything with very good heart. He made a fuss over the guide dogs.
“There was a young lad who was completely blinded by grenades and the Prince was asking him about which football team he supports - a really smashing chap.”
St Dunstan’s Vice Patron General Sir Richard Dannatt said he was delighted with the support shown by the Prince, and was pleased to be able to show “firsthand” the work which will be carried out.
The centre will provide rehabilitation, training and respite support for service men and women from all over the United Kingdom, but particularly those from Wales.
Mayor of Llandudno, Cllr Janet Jones, was thrilled with the visit and congratulated St Dunstan’s on utilising a local landmark.
She said: “Prince William was absolutely wonderful - so down to earth and a lovely man. It was quite cold up there and I had my robes on, and he said to me ‘You must the warmest one in the line’. He is such a nice person.
“I’m just so pleased the beautiful building is going to be used again. It is going to need a lot of support with funding, but it’s such a good and worthy cause.”