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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Kieren Williams

Prince William and Kate Middleton beaming as they wave to crowd at London charity event

Prince William and Kate Middleton have visited Stratford today to celebrate the 10th anniversary of a charity programme set up to carry the legacy of the 2012 Olympics.

The Prince and Princess of Wales visited the Copper Box Arena in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in east London as a part of an event with Coach Core.

There they celebrated the 10th anniversary of the programme, launched by the Royal Foundation in 2012.

The royals had the chance to meet some of the young people with whom the charity works and even get a taster of the sports sessions they offer, and how they help young people’s lives.

Coach Core was set up in response to the London riots and in an attempt to carry on the legacy ideals of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Kate and William helped launched the charity ten years ago (GC Images)
Coach Core was set up in the aftermath of the London riots in 2012 (PA)

The charity aims to use sports apprenticeships to boost social mobility for young adults not in employment or education.

It has supported over 750 disadvantaged young people onto community sports coaching apprenticeships.

The organisation counts six-time Olympic medallist Max Whitlock, tennis coach Judy Murray and England and Manchester City captain Steph Houghton amongst its ambassadors.

The charity, now fully independent, was one of the first launched by the Royal Foundation and Prince William, Kate and Prince Harry all played a key role and supported it throughout the years.

Gymnast Max Whitlock, a six-time Olympic medallist and a Coach Core ambassador, said: "We're helping a lot more kids involved in sport by providing good coaches, good role models and (helping) these people into full-time employment - which is incredible.

The now independent charity sprung out of the Royal Foundation (REUTERS)

"Two of the biggest problems in gymnastics - it's the same in most sports - is space and coaches. Obviously Coach Core is trying to fulfil that need for more and more good quality coaches to support these children who are coming through."

Speaking in 2020 at its award ceremony, William lauded the programme for its work and Meghan said that her husband Harry had “devoted so many years to Coach Core".

Earlier this week the royal couple took over the airwaves at BBC Radio 1 for a special broadcast about young people and their mental health.

The Royal couple took to the radio Monday evening this week where Kate announced that BBC’s “Newsbeat will sound slightly different” today.

The couple made the trip to mark ten years of the charity (PA)
The charity utilises sport to help young people in need (PA)

William then said: “As part of World Mental Health Day, Katherine and I have recorded a special programme taking over the radio to talk about the importance of mental health.

“You could be living one life one minute and something massively changes and you realise you don’t necessarily have the tools or the experience to be able to tackle that."

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