Kate Middleton Visits The Art Room Charity Today

Wearing an Orla Kiely coat/dress the Duchess of Cambridge visits two Oxford schools

Kate Middleton will visit two schools today as part of her patronage of the Art Room a school program that  deals with children with behavioural issues. Julie Beattie the founder of the program is a remarkable woman, at 64 she is the director of the charity, The Art Room has grown in scope for over a decade and made worldwide news when Kate “Duchess Of Cambridge’ chose it as one of her six charities for patronage. She arrived at Rose Hill School in Oxford wearing a fit-and-flare coat dress, by Irish designer Orla Kiely, similar the Hobbs coat we saw her wearing last week. Fans were delighted to learn the light brown-coloured creation was available on SALE! for £163.50 at www.orlakiely.com. The coat sold out in seconds once the photo was released.

The project has not only been embraced by history of art graduate, Kate, but has grown to serve over 20 schools with 2000 plus students age 5 – 16. The main focus of The Art Room is to help kids from disadvantaged backgrounds deal with behavioral problems through creating art. The project is a pioneering charity based at Oxford Spires Academy. Its first satellite was at Rose Hill Primary School (Pippa’s Room) Oxford. The second is at Orchard Meadow Primary school in Oxford and the third is at Robert Blair Primary School in Islington, London. The Art Room works with the children to increase their self-esteem, self-confidence and independence through art. They offer ‘art as therapy’ using art to raise their self-esteem, self-confidence and independence. Many are disengaged from mainstream education, and withdrawn, all have been identified as needing special time away from their school. Some of the students may have specific learning difficulties or have had an interrupted education. Some have recently arrived in this country, some are prime carers within their family, others are ‘looked-after’ children (children in care). The methodology of The Art Room goes above and beyond using art as a vehicle for educational therapy. The emphasis is on teaching life skills while encouraging the children and young people to both relate and engage with each other. The Art Room has proved to be extremely successful in providing the support needed to help children /young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The Art Room celebrates its 10th anniversary next month.

Kate Middleton Commissions Lady Gaga Milliner For Jubilee Hat

Kate Middleton Wearing an Orla Kiely Coat in Oxford Today! Dress/coat By Orla Kiely 21/02/2012

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