Duchess' delight

And from the moment she arrived at the new Slade Centre to the second she departed, the duchess had a beaming smile and a friendly word for everyone she met.

The proudest person at the almshouses was probably warden's daughter Meg Chesham, 11.

Meg took a day off Southbroom Junior School so that she could present the duchess with a posy of flowers.

After handing over the flowers Meg began to return to her mother, Jayne, who was proudly watching.

But the duchess persuaded her not to go away and asked her who she was and if she had taken a day off school specially.

Later, when the duchess was asked to perform the official opening of Slade House, centre of the new £2.4 million almshouses complex, she beckoned for Meg to join her again.

Together they pulled the ribbon from a commemorative clock to officially declare the centre open.

Meg, who admitted to being a bit nervous, was clearly delighted with being asked to help perform the opening ceremony.

The Devizes Almshouse Charity was set up in 1904 to provide homes for senior citizens.

Twelve years ago the trustees set out to buy the site of the former St James Hospital behind the existing almshouses in Victoria Road.

Negotiations for the two-acre site took five years and its purchase left the charity with little in the way of cash reserves.

The trustees decided that the charity should build on half the site and sell the other half and three bungalows.

In April 2002 work started on the scheme that includes a meeting hall and six small homes within the main building.

It also includes the warden's accommodation, bathrooms with assisted showers and baths and a communal kitchen.

The hall is named Slade House after a former almshouse resident whose family generously supported the project

In the grounds, three blocks of three bungalows were built. Eight bungalows have two bedrooms so that visitors can stay.

The visit by the duchess sealed the completion of the ambitious project for the almshouse trustees.

Before the royal visit Chris Bush, former chairman of the trustees and now vice-chairman, told the Gazette: "It is a dream come true for us. "

The duchess appeared to be as thrilled to meet the trustees and the almshouses' residents as they were to meet her. For everyone she met or walked past there was a cheery greeting from the royal visitor.

Before going into Slade House she visited residents in the new bungalows.

The duchess spent five minutes with John and Betty Lewis, both 76, who moved in May from Poulshot.

The couple showed the duchess around their bungalow and Mr Lewis, a retired agricultural worker, said: "She told us it was very nice."

Mrs Lewis said: "I didn't know what to say to her but she asked some nice questions and it went off very well."

Outside the bungalow the duchess posed with the Lewis' for photographs.

Then Mr Lewis took photographs of the duchess and Mrs Lewis to show their son and daughter, five grand children and four great grandchildren.

The duchess also called in to see the almshouses' oldest resident, 91-year-old Winifred Smith.

In the main building the duchess spoke to the the trustees about the project.

Then she carried out the opening ceremony, with Meg's help.

Chairman Derek Elliott told her: the trust had been waiting 12 years for this day.

The duchess thanked the trustees for inviting her to open the new almshouses and Slade House.

Having arrived almost an hour late because her train was delayed, the duchess thanked everyone for their patience in waiting."

The duchess praised everyone involved in the project and circulated around tables of residents and guests while they enjoyed tea and cakes.

Despite her late arrival, the duchess unhurriedly sat and chatted with many of those present.

Dignitaries present included the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Sir Maurice Johnston and Lady Johnston; the High Sheriff, David Newbigging and his wife, Carolyn and the mayor of Devizes Paula Winchcombe with her husband, Charles.

Earlier in the day the duchess opened the new £7m centre for all three emergency services in Devizes.

Phil Appleby, Wiltshire's deputy chief fire officer, is the project director of the Emergency Communications Centre.

He said: "We were absolutely delighted at the duchess's visit, it couldn't have gone better."

"The duchess was charming, very, very knowledgeable and she was very impressed with the control room.

"The control room staff said she was a lovely lady."

The fire, ambulance and police services have worked on the project for five years.

It is the first centre in the country to house all three emergency services together.