As part of #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek on Thursday 13th May 2021 we were delighted to welcome Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to HugglePetsCIC. 

The Duke and Duchess visited our fantastic Sensory Activity Centre and Community Aquarium, where they met with a number of children from Loxdale Primary School who attend our weekly Animal Assisted Intervention sessions to support their Social, Emotional and Mental Health utilising our therapy animals. 

The royal couple marked Mental Health Awareness Week by spending the day in the City of Wolverhampton to learn about vital projects supporting the wellbeing of young people.

As part of the sessions animals were handled by the children. When the guinea pig was brought into the room the Duke could not take his eyes off the pet and asked: “He looks very cuddly, can I have a cuddle with Gus?” 

Prince William could not resist the fluffy pet when he and wife Kate met youngsters receiving support for low mood and anxiety with animals used to help them talk about their feelings.

As wife Kate watched William coo over the ball of fluff and joked “my jacket’s covered in white hair” and clearly taken with Gus he added “such a funny noise such funny eyes and a cute brown nose.”

The Duchess also stroked the animal, one of many animals used to help give the children a boost of endorphins which relaxes them enabling them to speak freely.

The eight and nine-year-olds from Loxdale Primary School in Bilston, Wolverhampton had been referred to the six-week long sessions by their teaches to support their mental health.

When Gus was replaced with Barbara the Bearded Dragon, Prince William was impressed and said to the group of children sat at tables “Wow, look at this guy he’s so cool – never heard of a bearded dragon before.”

Schools across the Black Country can organise for HugglePetsCIC to run 6 week programmes in Schools and from their Sensory Activity Centre in Wolverhampton to support pupils with Low Mood, Anxiety, Healthy Relationships, Building Confidence and Resilience and Education on Suicide Awareness and Prevention. 

Their Royal Highnesses took part in an animal therapy session with local children, these help to build their confidence and support their mental health...we were so surprised that they found us and wanted to come and see what we do, it's just fantastic for us...

...they interacted with rabbits, a chameleon and even a bearded dragon...Hopefully the recognition that we will get from this visit will allow us to do even more to support children and local people in Wolverhampton.

Ian Dixon, Board Director

If you would like to book one of our 6 Week Animal Assisted Intervention sessions for your school, choose a programme from the list below:

Supporting Children & Young People:

• Low Mood & Anxiety 
• Healthy Relationships (Domestic Abuse)
• Suicide Awareness and Education 
• Confidence and Resilience Building (Bullying Stops Here) 

Please contact Hannah at 01902 494860 option 3 to book one of our Animal Assisted Intervention six-week programmes.