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Prince William hugs student on visit to college

BBC In the aftermath of the hug - a shocked Natasha Gorry holds her hands up to her face and laughs. Prince William, who is considerably taller appears to be talking to her as he smiles. Ms Gorry is wearing black rimmed glasses and her light brown hair is tied back. She is standing at the front of a crowd of people who are all smiling.BBC
Natasha Gorry asked Prince William for a hug

The Prince of Wales has hugged a student, sown broccoli seeds and tried boat building skills during a visit to Dorset.

Prince William was in Poole on Friday to mark a new partnership for his Homewards project, which aims to tackle homelessness.

He visited a housing scheme for people with mental health issues as well as a boat building course linked to the scheme.

During the trip, Bournemouth and Poole College student Natasha Gorry asked the prince for a hug and said she "loved it" when he obliged.

PA Media The Prince of Wales talking to residents in the garden of Millennium House. He is standing in front of a table where there are gardening tools and planters. There are nine other people in the image, including officials, reporters and residents.PA Media
The prince planted seeds and chatted to residents at a supported housing scheme

The prince's five-year Homewards project fosters partnerships to reduce homelessness in six areas around the UK, including Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

It has now joined forces with Lloyds Banking Group, which has made £50m of loans available to organisations tackling the issue.

The prince visited Millennium House, an 11-bed supported housing scheme in Poole, run by Bournemouth Churches Housing Association (BCHA), where he planted vegetable seeds with residents.

He also went to Bournemouth and Poole College to see how Homewards was working with local firms to create employment programmes for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Participants are able to interview for the Sunseeker boat building programme, which is taught at the college's Sunseeker Skills Academy and at the yacht maker's shipyard.

PA Media Prince William holding a long thin white pipe in his right hand and cutting it with a small blue pipe cutter held in his left hand. He is being watched by two men wearing white hi-viz vests.PA Media
Prince William was shown how to cut a pipe for a boat engine

While at the college, the prince was shown how to cut a piece of pipe for a boat engine.

He said: "I hope someone checks it before it goes in the boat, don't want it sinking on us."

As he was leaving, the prince shook hands with other college students who had gathered outside, and hugged Ms Gorry, 24, from Wimborne.

She said afterwards: "I'm happy, it's my first time to see Prince William.

"He gave me a hug, I love it."

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