A relaxed Prince Charles has charmed crowds this morning as almost the whole of Uley village turned out to see him officially open their community run shop.
The Prince of Wales was greeted at the volunteer run Uley Community Stores and Post Office by residents who's got together and raised £50,000 to save
the shop from closure.
Prince Charles was welcomed by chairman of Uley Parish Council Anne Sutcliffe, local vicar the Rev Diana Crook, and Chris Cowcher from Gloucestershire Rural Community Council who'd all helped kick-start the project.
Before unveiling a commemorative plaque the prince chatted to the unpaid helpers including shop manager Angela Haddrell.
Appearing at ease, the smiling prince asked the volunteers questions about the project and accepted gifts of a book on Uley's history, a pair of mugs from a batch made specially to mark his visit, and a tray bake cake with a thank you message in the icing.
"He was an extremely charming man," volunteer shop assistant Enid Fullard said.
"I was surprised by his wavy hair at the back," she said.
Prince Charles chatted to schoolchildren and accepted a map they'd made of Uley village.
He then spoke to playgroup tots and others in the sizeable crowd outside the shop.
He was then whisked over to established Quedgeley shirt maker Turnbull and Asser as its factory marked its tenth anniversary.
The Prince of Wales, who has been wearing shirts from the luxury tailor for 40 years, even turned his hand to a bit of sewing on the visit.
He was presented a Sea Island blue and white checked cotton shirt from managing director Steven Miller.
Prince Charles chatted to staff in the company's cutting room and shirt manufacturing division, in Sabre Close.
They included Sixth cloth cutter Philip Goode, who has worked at the company for 34 years and 21-year-old Kirsty Halford who has been employed at the firm for two years.
"Well done and many congratulations on such a fantastic job," he told employees.
He sewed a button onto a shirt and examined a press machine used for the lining of buttons. See a video of him in action here.
Kirsty, of Podsmead, who works as a buttonholer, said: "He said he's always wondered how you make the button holes. It was nerve-wracking. I'm still shaking."
The Quedgeley site employs a total workforce of 90 with more than 700 years' service between them.
The Prince of Wales was greeted at the volunteer run Uley Community Stores and Post Office by residents who's got together and raised £50,000 to save
the shop from closure.
Prince Charles was welcomed by chairman of Uley Parish Council Anne Sutcliffe, local vicar the Rev Diana Crook, and Chris Cowcher from Gloucestershire Rural Community Council who'd all helped kick-start the project.
Before unveiling a commemorative plaque the prince chatted to the unpaid helpers including shop manager Angela Haddrell.
Appearing at ease, the smiling prince asked the volunteers questions about the project and accepted gifts of a book on Uley's history, a pair of mugs from a batch made specially to mark his visit, and a tray bake cake with a thank you message in the icing.
"He was an extremely charming man," volunteer shop assistant Enid Fullard said.
"I was surprised by his wavy hair at the back," she said.
Prince Charles chatted to schoolchildren and accepted a map they'd made of Uley village.
He then spoke to playgroup tots and others in the sizeable crowd outside the shop.
He was then whisked over to established Quedgeley shirt maker Turnbull and Asser as its factory marked its tenth anniversary.
The Prince of Wales, who has been wearing shirts from the luxury tailor for 40 years, even turned his hand to a bit of sewing on the visit.
He was presented a Sea Island blue and white checked cotton shirt from managing director Steven Miller.
Prince Charles chatted to staff in the company's cutting room and shirt manufacturing division, in Sabre Close.
They included Sixth cloth cutter Philip Goode, who has worked at the company for 34 years and 21-year-old Kirsty Halford who has been employed at the firm for two years.
"Well done and many congratulations on such a fantastic job," he told employees.
He sewed a button onto a shirt and examined a press machine used for the lining of buttons. See a video of him in action here.
Kirsty, of Podsmead, who works as a buttonholer, said: "He said he's always wondered how you make the button holes. It was nerve-wracking. I'm still shaking."
The Quedgeley site employs a total workforce of 90 with more than 700 years' service between them.
