Royal Watch News

Duchess Catherine praised for Action on Addiction work

Oct 18, 2012, 15:02 GMT

Duchess Catherine

Britain's Duchess Catherine has been praised for her work with charity Action on Addiction.

The brunette royal - who became a patron of the aid organisation in January - went to Stockton-on-Tees, North East England, last week to see the work the charity does with youngsters living with parents who are drug users, and Nick Barton, the charity's chief executive, is delighted she chose to help the good cause.

He said: 'It is a subject she is clearly interested in. She chose us because she had realised that with many problems faced by young people, the trail always led to back to addiction of some sort, whether alcohol, drugs or something else.'

It's not the first time Catherine - who was known as Kate Middleton prior to her and Prince William's nuptials in April last year - has seen the charity's work in person after visiting the organisation's headquarters in February.

The duchess spent 'several hours' speaking to staff and patients being treated at Clouds House, next to Action on Addiction's head office in East Knoyle, near Salisbury, Wiltshire, to gain an in-depth understanding of their work before undertaking any public engagements on their behalf.

A St. James's Palace spokesperson said at the time: 'The duchess will continue to use her time to get to know people at the charity.

'You can't learn everything there is to know in one day, you have to keep going back to gain an in-depth understanding.'