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Princess Anne will visit Chippenham on Friday

STAFF at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre are gearing up for a royal visitor when Her Royal Highness Princess Anne visits to officially open the £11.1million building.

In an engagement announced by Buckingham Palace, HRH will be guest of honour at the official ceremony on Friday.

The centre, which has been open since October last year has already seen over 7,000 visitors through its doors.

HRH will be greeted by a number of important local figures, including the Mayor of Chippenham, the Lord Lt, and the High Sheriff.

Jane Scott, leader of Wiltshire County Council, said: "This ceremony provides us with an opportunity to celebrate the key role the centre is playing in helping thousands of people to trace their family trees and learn more about local history."

Once inside, HRH will meet the Mayor of Swindon, and both the leader and chief executive of Swindon Borough Council.

She will then be given a tour of the centre, speaking to staff, and viewing some of the records and rare artefacts it holds.

She will also unveil a commemorative plaque, cut a cake, and be presented with a posy of flowers, from Monkton Park schoolgirl Eleanor Thomas.

Eleanor, 10, from Monkton Park was selected to present the flowers after her name was randomly picked from a hat.

Head teacher of the primary school Lisa Tudor said: "I am delighted for Eleanor and the school to be involved, she is a lovely girl, and is very much looking forward to it.

"Our deputy head Mr Hulbert is going with Eleanor, as he has actually written a couple of programmes for the history centre.

"We are all hopefully going to be attending on the day, and it is a great reward for everyone's hard work."

It was recently revealed that the centre has been put forward as one of nine nominees for a national design award.

Staff will find out later this year if the centre has beaten the other eight nominees for The Society of Chief Architects of Local Authorities Civic Building of the Year Competition 2008.

The temperature-controlled archive rooms hold 70,000 photographs, 2,600 microfilms, 3,000 maps and 18,000 books.

The centre also boasts other impressive items including a 400-year-old Ethiopian prayer book, a Scout log book with bark covers, and a memorial card made by Swindon Town football club fans when they beat Arsenal in 1969.

3:01pm Wednesday 7th May 2008

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