The Prince of Wales was in Newport yesterday to give the royal seal of approval to the work of three of his charities, which are helping young people succeed in the city.

He visited Pill Millennium Centre to see what The Prince’s Trust, Business in the Community and the Young Dragons are doing to provide young people with the necessary skills and opportunities to gain employment in a difficult market.

He heard from businesses representatives about how they are helping tackle critical issues such as youth unemployment and met young people currently enrolled on the 12-week military preparation college training course, based at the centre.

Seventeen-year-old Ieuan Clisset, of Cwmbran, told the prince, who is president of the Prince’s Trust which helps fund the scheme, how he struggled to be motivated to succeed before joining the initiative.

After leaving school with only four GCSEs Ieuan told how the course had given him the confidence and self esteem to want to do better, as well as the necessary practical skills to start a career in plumbing.

He said: “The prince asked me if I was practical with my hands and said there were not enough practical skills being taught in school.

“He was lovely, I was a bit nervous before speaking, I was shaking but it wasn’t as bad as I thought.”

The Prince then got to see the trainees in action as they demonstrated part of their practical training and team building exercises.

He later braved the rain to meet youngsters from the Young Dragons Torfaen firefighters branch, who staged a fire drill.

The scheme, aims to increase cadet opportunities to provide youngsters with work-based skills to beat growing levels of youth unemployment and the Prince learned how more then 150 new cadet places throughout various schemes would be created in Gwent before April.

Fire cadet Stephen O’Connor, 15, said: “He was really kind, caring and a really nice person. He was interested in us.”

The Prince also met young people from The Prince’s Trust Get Started with Rugby programme, which is delivered in partnership with the Newport Gwent Dragons and Newport-based defence company Cassidian, who presented him with a Newport- Gwent Dragons tie.

The prince praised the work of the charities before presenting medals to cadets who have completed their training.

And he even made time to have an impromptu chat with year four pupils from nearby St Michael’s RC Primary School who came to the centre to wave him off.

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To view pictures of HRH Prince Charles visit to MPCT in Pill then head to our gallery.

Why not see what HRH Prince Charles thought about his visit and listen to his closing address.