A friendly chat Saturday between Jeneece Edroff and Sophie Rhys-Jones, Countess of Wessex, revealed the pair have something special in common: a birthday.
“I’ll be 21 Jan. 20, she’ll be 50 Jan. 20,” Edroff said, as Sophie and her entourage drove away from Jeneece Place at Victoria General Hospital.
Sophie and her husband, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex — the youngest of the Queen’s children — are in B.C. for five days. Sophie’s Saturday itinerary included visits to Jeneece Place, the Our Place social agency and the University of Victoria.
Having the countess come to Jeneece Place was “absolutely amazing,” said Edroff, the driving force behind the facility that bears her name. Jeneece Place, opened in 2012, is a “home away from home” for families with children who need to come to Victoria for medical care.
Sophie was interested in how she got Jeneece Place off the ground, Edroff said. “She was extremely impressed, especially since a young person started this as a dream and made it a reality.”
The countess spent about an hour at Jeneece Place, a visit that featured a spirited game of foosball involving nine-year-old Abigail McCorquodale and her parents, Doug and Brenda.
Sophie displayed a knack for the popular game, though a rocky start prompted her to declare herself “rubbish.” Despite that, she and Abigail teamed up to vanquish Doug and Brenda 5-2.
The game was watched closely by 11⁄2-year-old Hassan Charania of Duncan, whose family stayed at Jeneece Place after he was born premature and when he had surgery on a hernia.
Abigail said the countess asked her about why she came to Jeneece Place. “I was born without a piece of my esophagus, so it closes off sometimes and I have to come down [to Victoria] to get surgery to open it up.”
Abigail has had about 50 surgeries, her mom said, and Jeneece Place has been a big help to the Port Hardy family.
“It just touches your heart that there’s such a facility available for families.”
At Our Place, Sophie hugged patrons and posed for pictures before stepping into the kitchen to help serve lunch. She dished out salmon, salad and soup to a packed dining room.
Between 400 and 500 meals are served on an average day, said Our Place executive director Don Evans.
Our Place patron Darlene Gutkind — who shouted, “We love you, Countess Sophie,” as the royal did her kitchen stint — enthused about getting a photograph with her.
“It’s wonderful, it’s a beautiful picture,” Gutkind said. “I’m going straight to Facebook and putting it on.”
She said she was impressed that the countess made a stop at Our Place.
“It’s amazing with her being here and supporting this community in this city of people who are in need.”
Meanwhile, Prince Edward shook hands with 87 young high achievers who were awarded the Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award during a ceremony at Government House on Saturday.
The prince told the ballroom full of young people they had earned the right to walk a little taller after successfully completing a journey that millions attempt but relatively few complete.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award dates back to 1956 when it was established by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
Its aim is to help young people develop a sense of responsibility to themselves and their communities through self-reliance, perseverance and responsibility.
— With a file from CP
