Kate Middleton, Prince William Unveil Plan to Help Neighbors Nearby Their Country Home, Anmer Hall, Ahead of Holidays

The Prince and Princess of Wales are teaming up with a local mental health charity to help the rural and farming community in Norfolk

Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales speak with members of the Emergency Services during a visit to Southport Community Centre on October 10, 2024 in Southport, England. Earlier this year, Bebe King (6), Elsie Dot Stancombe (7) and Alice da Silva Aguiar (9) died after a mass stabbing at a children's Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29 in the Merseyside town of Southport.(

Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales speak with members of the Emergency Services during a visit to Southport Community Centre on Oct. 10, 2024 in Southport, England. Photo: Danny Lawson – WPA Pool/Getty

Kate Middleton and Prince William are reaching out to help their neighbors ahead of the holidays.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are bringing their mission to aid mental well-being to the rural and farming communities close to their country home, Anmer Hall, in Norfolk.

William and Kate, both 42, have announced they are teaming up with a mental health charity, Norfolk and Waveney Mind. It aims to provide additional mental health support to communities in the area, “including, but not limited to, those living and working on the Sandringham estate,” their office at Kensington Palace said.

The palace added that evidence “suggests a strong need for further mental health support for rural and farming communities across the U.K.” as “rural isolation and poor mental health are still widespread” across the U.K. A farmer loses their battle with mental health each week, the palace continued.

The couple, who headed to Anmer Hall on the royal family’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk as soon as their three children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, finished school on Dec. 13, have long campaigned for better mental health and awareness about wellbeing.

rince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales speak with members of the Emergency Services during a visit to Southport Community Centre on October 10, 2024 in Southport, England. Earlier this year, Bebe King (6), Elsie Dot Stancombe (7) and Alice da Silva Aguiar (9) died after a mass stabbing at a children's Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29 in the Merseyside town of Southport.

Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales speak with members of the Emergency Services during a visit to Southport Community Centre on Oct. 10, 2024 in Southport, England.Danny Lawson – WPA Pool/Getty

The pilot initiative, which will start in early 2025, is co-funded by the couple’s Royal Foundation and the Prudence Trust. It includes plans for face-to-face counselling and drop-in sessions and sessions for different members of the community, including parent and toddler groups, menopause groups and men’s groups.

Sonja Chilvers, interim CEO of Norfolk and Waveney Mind, said in a statement on Dec. 20: “We are all too aware of the specific mental health challenges faced by people in rural settings, particularly those in the farming community. We’re delighted to be working with the Prince and Princess of Wales, who know our Northwest Norfolk communities well, and we are keen to see the difference that this pilot will make to local people’s mental health.”

“Our innovative new partnership will drive proactive outreach and preventative measures to the whole community and form a vital step in better protecting the wellbeing of local people,” she added. “If successful, it could be used as an example and replicated in other rural estates and communities across the U.K.”

She continued, “Delivering these new services is part of an exciting series of developments for our charity in Northwest Norfolk as we also prepare to launch our new-look Talking Therapies service from our REST Heacham site, opening up free counselling for people experiencing anxiety and depression.”

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 08: Previously unissued photo dated 08/12/21 Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Sophie, Countess of Wessex take part in 'Royal Carols - Together At Christmas', a Christmas carol concert hosted by the duchess at Westminster Abbey in London, which will be broadcast on Christmas Eve on ITV. on December 8, 2021 in London, England.

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Sophie, Countess of Wessex take part in ‘Royal Carols – Together At Christmas’, a Christmas carol concert hosted by the duchess at Westminster Abbey in London on Dec. 8, 2021. Yui Mok – WPA Pool/Getty

William has previously spoken about the need to support farmers’ welfare, and on a visit to a college in Cornwall in October he highlighted the work that academy is doing to help with resilience and wellbeing in the rural area.

Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

On Dec. 19, as it was revealed William and Kate and their children had started their Christmas holiday at Anmer Hall early as they released an image of their holiday card. After what William has called a “brutal” year, the holiday card photo shows a frame from the video Princess Kate issued on Sept. 9 to announce that she completed chemotherapy treatment.

“Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year,” read a message on the card, which was shared in a video to the couple’s social channels. The card was placed on a table in the quick clip, with a twinkling tree behind and faux snow falling before it.

Related Posts

The shock мoмeпt Phιllιρ Schofιeld ɑccused Gιпo D’Acɑмρo of goιпg ‘too fɑг’ wιth ɑ lewd joke hɑs гesuгfɑced ɑs the chef fɑces ɑllegɑtιoпs of sexuɑlly ιпɑρρгoρгιɑte ɑпd ιпtιмιdɑtιпg behɑʋιouг. Iп ɑ…

Where are the stars of ITV’s Benidorm now? What the residents of the Solana hotel have been up to as the creator of the iconic Brits abroad sitcom teases potential reunion

It’s been almost two decades since Benidorm first aired and we were introduced to the guests and staff of the iconic Solana hotel. The ITV Brits abroad sitcom –…

Coronation Street character ‘set to face a brutal death’ in gripping new storyline amid soap’s cash crisis

Coronation Street bosses are reportedly cranking up the tension with a shocking twist as one character will be gunned down. After escaping from prison, Rob Donovan is set to…

Depression shut my body down so badly I was taken to hospital to be electrocuted – my horrified husband said it left me looking 100 years old, admits Beverley Callard

Beverley Callard bravely spoke out about her mental health struggles on Thursday’s episode of Good Morning Britain. The 67-year-old, who is best known for playing Liz McDonald in Coronation Street, sat…

Netflix fans rave over ‘must-watch’ series with 100% Rotten Tomatoes score hailed as ‘one of the best pieces of TV in a long time’

Netflix fans have raved over ‘must-watch’ series Mo as ‘one of the best pieces of TV in a long time’. The comedy-drama, created by Mo Amer and Ramy…

It’s fake news, says Iris Law, as waitress accuses model, 24, of ‘Do you know who I am?’ New York restaurant tantrum

Jude Law’s daughter Iris claims she has become a victim of fake news after a waitress branded her the ‘nastiest’ customer she’s ever served. The 24-year-old model…