Prince Harry visits Cardiff

Jun 5 2008 Media Wales

Prince Harry

PRINCE Harry is visiting Cardiff today to carry out a series of engagements highlighting the link between Wales and the south African nation Lesotho.

The Prince is patron of Dolen Cymru, the Wales Lesotho link, which is hosting the third international conference for organisations supporting development and change in Lesotho.

Harry has close links with Lesotho, and launched Sentebale – which means Forget-me-not – in memory of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales in 2006. It aims to help youngsters in need, including those orphaned by Aids.

The Prince is expected to give the opening remarks at the conference, which is being held at the Wales Millennium Centre.

Afterwards he will attend a reception at the National Museum of Wales and officially open an exhibition of tapestries from Lesotho.

The Prince will visit pupils from Cathays High School, in Cathays who have been raising money for Malopo High School in Lesotho since 2005.

The students have carried out a number of events and raised funds to buy a small herd of cows, fencing, a milking parlour, a cow shed, a greenhouse, seedlings, and irrigation system including a new water tower and pump.

Four Year 12 pupils are expected to visit the school in October to help build a bunkhouse.

Harry will also meet doctors and nurses from the Cardiff & Vale NHS Trust who have been involved in the health work of Dolen Cymru.

They have been linked with the Welsh charity and Lesotho since 2006 and have been working with the Paediatric Ward and Children’s HIV clinic based in the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, Maseru, to help develop it into a centre of excellence and to provide the best care for affected children.

The clinic offers Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) and so far around 500 children have received the care that they vitally need.