Queen hails emergency relief charity’s 25th birthday

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Ben Birchall/PA Wire Queen Camilla is given a tour by the Chief Executive Officer of ShelterBox, Sanj Srikanthan who is standing to the left dressed in a suit, during a visit to the headquarters of the charity. She is wearing a dark dress with white polka dots and a white collar which extends vertically down the front of the dress. She is talking to a volunteer dressed in a blue polo shirt and stands in front of a tent.Ben Birchall/PA Wire

Queen Camilla is given a tour by the ShelterBox chief executive Sanj Srikanthan (far left) during a visit to the charity’s headquarters

The Queen has told staff and volunteers celebrating a Devon charity’s 25th anniversary that “unfortunately you’re going to be needed more and more”.

She was first introduced to ShelterBox, based in Truro, on an official visit to Pakistan in 2006 and said: “I saw these good-looking Cornishmen after the earthquake there and I couldn’t believe my eyes what they were doing there”.

She became the charity’s president in 2007 and patron in May 2021 and met volunteers and staff involved since its beginnings in a Helston warehouse.

During her visit, she saw shelter repair kits, shelters and aid items, which the charity delivers to areas hit by disasters and conflict.

Ben Birchall/PA Wire Dressed in a dark dress with white polka dots and a white collar the Queen stands besides a wooden plaque which is standing on an easel. It reads ShelterBox In recognition of 25 years of disaster relief unveiled by Her Majesty the Queen, Patron of ShelterBox September 2025.Ben Birchall/PA Wire

The Queen has been involved with the charity since 2007

ShelterBox was founded in 2000 by the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard to provide emergency shelter to families who were affected by disaster or conflict.

The international disaster relief organisation has since supported more than three million people in about 100 countries.

The Queen also met members of ShelterBox Book Club, which has raised more than £1.5m to support the charity’s work.

She also unveiled a plaque to commemorate the charity’s silver jubilee.

Tamsin Melville/BBC A teenager wearing a green T-shirt holds up a green snail. He is standing in front of a tent.Tamsin Melville/BBC

Thomas Burns gave the Queen a clay snail

During her visit, the Queen met Thomas Burns, 13, who makes clay snails and has raised more than £2,000 for ShelterBox because he wants to help people in Ukraine.

He knew about the charity because his grandmother lives in Cornwall.

“I just love that they’re helping people,” he said.

“It was pretty depressing and I wanted to help in any way I could.”

The Queen also visited projects supported by the Cornwall Community Foundation, which has awarded more than £22m in grants to small organisations making a positive impact in their area.

Queen Camilla has been the organisation’s patron since 2005 and visited Wave House Church in Newquay, which has received more than £117,000 in grants over 20 years.

She met residents supported by the organisation’s Turnaround Project, which provides housing and mentoring to get vulnerable and at-risk young people into work.

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