4 Friday, 20 February 2015
Duchess in Stoke-on-Trent Kate at Emma Bridgewater to view design of her new charity mugs BY LAUREN ROBERTS AND BECCI HEYES - staffslive.co.uk
The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton took her first look at the Emma Bridgewater mug that she designed to raise money for children with serious illnesses. Kate, 33, who is a patron for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospice (EACH) for which the mugs are raising money, approached the Stoke-on-Trent ceramics firm with the idea after seeing their previous charity collections. She was then shown a design created by Matthew Rice, Emma Bridgewater’s husband in November 2014, unique to the Hanley pottery factory, where she got hands-on involved with creating the ceramic art. The design included some sunflowers, ladybirds and butterflies.
The Duchess was asked how she would incorporate the design onto a new mug and came up with the simple idea of just using the ladybird. Designer and factory owner Emma Bridgewater told StaffsLive: “This is a really special occasion and involved lots of preparation. “I was so excited and really, really pleased when we talked about the design so we said right, this has got to be perfect. This is amazing. “The ladybird design itself was all Kate’s idea. “We wanted to incorporate pattern and Kate pointed out the ladybird and said what if we just took that? “The mugs are different-looking – sensible and practical – really good. She’s got it.” The charity mugs, which go on sale on March 3 at £19.95 each, will do-
nate £5 per individual mug sale towards the Donna Louise Hospice, the local Stoke-on-Trent hospice that cares for terminally ill children. The mug comes as part of a new cup and teapot collection, created at the Stoke-on-Trent factory, which opened in Lichfield Street in 1985. As well as personally welcoming the Duchess, Matthew Rice designed a welcome archway sign, similar to the one that welcomed Charles and Camilla to the factory in 2010. Emma added: “We wanted a marvellous arch and are so pleased as it is brilliant and simple.” Hundreds of people gathered outside the Emma Bridgewater factory in Stoke-on-Trent to catch a glimpse of the Duchess. Kate, who is seven months pregnant with her second child, stepped out in
a petrol blue wool MaxMara coat, Séraphine floral dress and navy blue Jimmy Choo court shoes. She wore her hair in her signature half up, half down style and carried a clutch bag to match her shoes. £5 from the sale of each mug will go to terminally ill children and their families to help build a new hospice in Norfolk. The 33-year-old has been a patron of EACH since 2012. When Kate was presented with the design in November 2014, she made her own suggestions for a second mug, which features just the ladybirds in the design. Decorating studio manager Paul Adamiec said: “She was lovely and she asked how long I had been working here. “This is our third royal visit!”
During her tour around the factory in Lichfield Street, Stoke-on-Trent, Kate spoke to a number of children and their families who are cared for by the Donna Louise Hospice. Factory tour guide Jan Roberts said: “She did not just come in briefly. “She sat down and talked to each family.” The soon-to-be mum-of-two tried her hand at ceramic art as well as making a plate. Georgina Willott and Evie Whittaker, daughters of factory workers, presented Kate with flowers before she unveiled a plaque with the ladybird and sunflowers design to commemorate her visit. The Duchess arrived in the city in a dark red helicopter where she was transferred into a blue Land Rover to take her to the factory.
Kat
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#DuchessInStoke
te was shown around the factory on Wednesday morning
Following in the footsteps
Kate’s trip to Emma Bridgewater was the first notable royal appearance in Stoke-on-Trent for five years. Prince Charles and Camilla ParkerBowles visited the city in 2010 as part of celebrations marking the centenary of the federation of the six towns. The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall first visited the Staffordshire Hoard exhibition at the Potteries Museum in Hanley. The pair were also given special permission to handle some of the items in the exhibition such as a sword pommel and a gold cross. The royal couple then moved on to Emma Bridgewater where, like Kate, they were given a tour of the factory and got to see staff at work, before decorating their own pieces alongside Smallthorne Primary School pupils.
The visit climaxed with a speech at Stoke-on-Trent City Council in the Civic Centre. A canvas was also unveiled in the Charles and Camilla saw the Staffordshire council chambers to mark the 100- Hoard (below) and decorated pottery (above) year anniversary. The painting stretched over four six-feet canvases and was produced by Burselm artist Rob Pointon. Charles and Camill visited the Dudson factory in Tunstall and received a tour of this company as well. Here they tried their hand at pot painting too, with tuition from some of the workers. HRH Prince Charles said in praise of Dudson and Emma Bridgewater: “I only hope their success can inspire others to invest in the industry and produce beautiful ceramics for generations to come.”