Royal visit to celebrate 100 years of flying

Along with Vice Admiral Sir Alan Massey, Princess Anne was welcomed by members of the Marine Coastguard Agency before touring CEMAST and Fareham Innovation Centre.

The visit was an opportunity for HRH to see the lastest improvements made there by Fareham Borough Council.

Ninety guests including Mayor of Fareham, Geoff Fazackarley and Leader of Fareham Borough Council, Sean Woodward, were invited to a presentation where the Princess Royal unveiled an official plaque in commemoration of her visit. After the unveiling, The Princess Royal said: ‘I hope a lot of you feel that this is something that the pioneers who came here 100 years ago would be hugely enthralled by what many of you are doing here.

‘Frankly we are keeping that history alive and proving that history always has a future.’

The princess also presented the Chief Executive’s Volunteer of the Year Award to Mike Saunders who served for Her Majesty’s Coastguard for more than 46 years and has responded to approximately 3,000 incidents and saved numerous lives.

After the presentation, Mike said: ‘I am deeply honoured. It is nice to feel that after 46 years my colleagues think it appropiate for this award.’

A ‘100’ celebration cake decorated with fondant aeroplanes and helicopters and made by a Fareham Borough Council employee, Andrea Cripps, was cut by The Princess Royal before the granddaughter of Andrea, Lydia Francis, 4, presented the royal visitor with a smaller celebration cake.

Cllr Sean Woodward, who hosted proceedings, said: ‘ I think it is fantastic that she came and it gives us a real buzz.

This is Princess Anne’s third visit to Fareham after she visited in 2012 as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and to open the town centre’s playground.