Camilla Duchess of Cornwall pays special visit to Wiltshire

First, Her Royal Highness attended a short service to mark the 100th anniversary of the Seend War Memorial and join a service of rededication.

Following the service in the church, The Duchess greeted Royal British Legion members, families whose ancestors are named on the memorial and children from Seend Primary School.

Moving on to Devizes, the Duchess of Cornwall met independent Spar shop owner, Mr Derek Tinnion and his family who work in the shop on Bath Road.

Mr Tinnion is the third generation of his family to operate the business over the last 60 years. He has been involved for 38 years and now has eight members of his family working for him.

The business originally came into the family in 1960 when his mother Irene (now 95 years old) and father John (deceased) moved from London to Wiltshire and took over the grocery business.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the shop played a crucial part in supporting residents and vulnerable individuals who used the store.

Mr Derek Tinnion whose family has run the Spar in Devizes for 60 years

This included offering a new phone service to ensure residents received their groceries; providing free puzzles and colouring books and running a puzzle competition; as well as supplying Easter eggs to boost morale.

They also began offering low-cost fruit and vegetable boxes to keep a family of four supplied for a week (which they still sell today).

For six months the store operated around the clock, with staff working 24hrs to replenish stock and ensure uninterrupted supply.

After thanking the family for 60 years of serving the community, Her Royal Highness then visited the Eric Ravilious Downland Man Exhibition at the Wiltshire Museum, also in Devizes.

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall visits The Parade Cinema

Finally, the Duchess of Cornwall visited the newly converted Parade Cinema in Marlborough and met supporters who have helped restore and transform the 1817 Chapel into a facility for the community.

HRH met the manager, directors and staff and be shown around the newly finished cinema, café and garden.

A long 50 years since the last cinema closed in Marlborough, the town now has a state-of-the-art cinema in a splendid, carefully restored, late Georgian chapel.

See photos of the visit in our gallery above.