Garlands for the royals who won our hearts

BY RACHEL GARDNER

The Earl and Countess of Wessex delighted members of Harrow’s Asian community when they officially opened a community and advice centre yesterday.
Edward and Sophie toured the Sangat Centre, which has just undergone a £500,000 renovation, during a visit to Harrow which also took in the new headquarters of the
Zoroastrian community in Rayners Lane.
The royal visit was the culmination of years of work by staff at the Sangat Centre in Sancroft Road, Wealdstone,
More than 100 excited children from near by Belmont First School lined the centre’s driveway frantically waving red, white and blue balloons as the royal limousine, driven by Edward, arrived.
The couple paused briefly to wave at the children, and as they turned to enter the centre loud chants of “Sophie” and “Edward” broke out from the crowd. Sophie looked radiant in a long pale blue v-neck dress with pearl earrings.
After being presented with garlands of red roses and white carnations on pear necklaces, the couple were welcomed to the new centre by the committee members, the centre’s chairman, Dipak Shah, and founder Kanti Nagda.
They then toured the newly renovated building, including its computer and conference rooms.
After the tour, Edward officially opened the building by unveiling a plaque. I have seen some of the photographs of the outside of the old building and I can imagine what a tremendous change has taken place here. “My congratulations to everyone involved in the work and all the people who have come up with the funds to make this happen. I trust the centre will be well used within the
community.”.
Mr Nagda said afterwards: “The couple were very interested in what went on within the Asian community in Harrow. It’s fantastic that they have given their royal seal of approval to the centre.”
Schoolgirl, Rakhi Shah, who along with her cousin Meera Shah presented garlands to the royal couple; said: “They were so normal and so nice. They said thank you when we gave them the garlands.”

A garlanded Earl and Countess of Wessex arrive at the Sangat Centre. 'They were so normal and so nice,' said Rakhi Shah, who met the couple