7:41pm Friday 4th December 2009
WHEN Sophie Lord first met the Princess Royal 10 years ago, she was a little girl, desperate to communicate despite her disabilities.
But when Sophie, who has cerebral palsy, met Princess Anne for a second time today at Headington’s Ace Centre life had changed dramatically.
The 17-year-old was able to report she was now studying for her A-Levels and had been offered a place to study history at Worcester University.
The Princess Royal was at the Windmill Road centre – which helps young people with disabilities communicate using innovative technology – to mark its 25th anniversary.
She had visited the centre to open its current building in 1999.
Using a specially programmed computer, Sophie, who is a pupil at the Cherwell School and lives in Cowley, said: “She was like a normal person, very chatty and loves to laugh.
“I was telling her my plans for university and she was impressed.
“The Ace Centre has made a lot of difference to me, especially now that I have a speech aid that I love.”
The Princess Royal, who is patron of the College of Occupational Therapists, also met Sarah Chandler, 21, from Longworth near Abingdon, who has not been able to speak or control her limbs since having two childhood strokes.
She now uses a machine controlled by her eyegaze to communicate and told the Oxford Mail that Princess Anne was nice.
Her mum, Paula, said: “Princess Anne was very interested and asked lots of appropriate questions.
“The Ace Centre gave us hope, they knew the technology would eventually come that would allow Sarah to access a computer just using her eyes, and now she can.”
Six-year-old Tamsin England, from Faringdon, who also has cerebral palsy, used her communication system which works with a knee-operated switch, to greet the Princess Royal and present her with a posy.
She said: “It was good. I’m happy.”
Her mother Karen said: “It was fun for Tamsin.
“She’s a very normal lady and she doesn’t make you feel intimidated, you almost forget that she is royal.”
She added: “This place is completely invaluable, I don’t know where we would be without it.”
The Princess spent just over 45 minutes at the Ace Centre, meeting staff, patients and local dignitaries.
Addressing a crowd of about 60 people connected with the centre, she said: “When it was set up 25 years ago it was more than a pioneer.
“Although there were some technologies they felt were possible, getting from possibility to robust functioning was quite a major step, and Ace has done so much of that.
“I met one of the young people today who I met 10 years ago and is about to go to university.
“How it has changed these young people’s lives is fantastic.”
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