STAFF and visitors at a centre for people with learning disabilities had a special date with the Princess Royal when she visited the Home Farm Trust's Arden Vale premises.

The Princess was greeted by Martin Dunne, Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire, outside the trust's resource centre in Bidford.

He presented her to a line-up of Gwen Jefferson, High Sheriff of Warwickshire, Anthony Jefferson, Councillor Juliet Short, chairman of Stratford-on-Avon District Council, John Short, and Brian Perowne, trust Chief Executive.

The Princess, who is patron of the trust, a national charity for adults with learning disabilities, visited the residential and day services centre yesterday afternoon to see the changes that had taken place since her last visit in 1992.

During the tour she met service users and staff, and was taken around the computer, art and activity rooms and the centre's sensory gardens.

Afterwards she met a small number of invited trust fundraisers, and was presented with a basket of home-made preserves by trust service users. Day service user Ann Higgins met the Princess in the art studio, then she presented the preserves to the Princess.

"I was pleased to be able to meet her," she said. "She was a nice lady."

Wendy Green, a trust service user said the Princess asked her about The Roving Reporters, a trust news letter. "I thought she had a nice smile," she said. "She was interested in the things that I did."

In a short speech inside the centre, the Princess said how much the centre had changed. "HFT has moved on courtesy of all those who work in it and support it," she said.

She thanked those who supported HFT, including part-time staff, full-time staff, and volunteers, before thanking Richard Price, chairman of the trustees of HFT for his extraordinary achievements with the charity.

Mr Price, chairman for four years, has retired to become vice-chairman, and Robert Wood will be taking over his position.