Prince William has thanked the National Emergency Trust for its “fantastic” work helping people “unite and make a difference”

Prince William appears in a new National Emergency Trust video, thanking the charity for five years of “fantastic” work.

Appearing with rakish stubble, the 42-year-old Prince of Wales praised the organization, which supports people affected by natural disasters in the UK, for having “achieved so much” over the past five years.

The charity, of which the prince is a patron, was launched in 2019 to provide immediate support to those in need.

Created to provide first-hand support during natural disasters, the organization has worked to bring together charities, patrons and government agencies to address emergencies and provide immediate support to those affected.

In a video posted on the National Emergency Fund’s social media page, the prince said: “The National Emergency Fund has achieved a lot since its creation in November 2019.

“His handling of Coronavirus has enabled thousands of charities and groups to support local communities during the pandemic.

“And his efforts to listen to and learn from those affected by past emergencies are helping people get support in the future.”

“I was privileged to be part of the foundation’s Be The Difference project, which enabled young people affected by the Manchester Arena attack to share their ideas on how to improve mental health support systems.

“In the face of the tragic incident in Southport, the trust has been actively working behind the scenes to provide support.

“He was able to bring together national and local charities, regulators, government and others to provide the best care possible.

“Now more than ever, I am grateful to the National Emergency Fund here. He showed what is possible when we come together to create change.

“Thank you to everyone involved in this fantastic charity and to those who have so kindly donated to us over the past five years.”

The charity was launched by the prince in 2019 and has since made calls to support the UK through numerous natural disasters, including the coronavirus pandemic.

The charity’s first project was the Coronavirus Appeal, which was launched on 18 March 2020 and has helped raise almost £100 million for those affected by the pandemic.

As well as raising funds, the organization provided mental health support and bereavement services, and provided shelter for the homeless – an issue the Prince is particularly passionate about.

The charity emerged after a series of disasters, including the Manchester Arena bombing and the Grenfell Tower fire, affected the UK. While the country acted quickly to send donations and offer support, individual funding pages made fraud difficult to detect, leading to scammers making money from well-meaning donors.

The father-of-three has previously spoken about how many Britons turn to help when needed, once saying: “I think Britain is at its best when faced with a crisis.” We all come together and that community spirit comes back faster than anything else.”

It comes after the prince yesterday made a private visit to Newport, South Wales, where he met women in the UK who are currently facing homelessness.

He visited the special support service as part of an event to highlight the problem of female homelessness in the city.

The royal was accompanied by Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, now one of the country’s most senior female firefighters, who had to sleep on the city streets as a teenager.

She is a key supporter of its Homewards campaign, which aims to end homelessness in six areas of the UK within five years.

The couple also visited The Nelson Trust, which is a member of the Homewards Newport coalition and plays a key role in supporting women in Newport who have experienced trauma.

Women are often more susceptible to “hidden homelessness” compared to men as they are less likely to sleep rough due to safety concerns, leading to sofa surfing or sleeping on public transport.

The Prince Homewards team in Newport specifically addresses the issue of homeless women who face a variety of disadvantages such as trauma, poverty and domestic violence.

They plan to share their findings with the program’s other five flagship locations and beyond.

William said during the visit that he wanted to play a “disruptor” role in his fight against homelessness, calling on those working in the sector to “throw all the paperwork up in the air”.

Heir to the throne William launched Homewards last year and is widely seen as his most ambitious public service project to date.

Last month, Prince released a new film documenting the first year of his Homewards project.

During the program, William said he was inspired to fight homelessness by the legacy of his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, who began taking him to homeless shelters as a child.

Available on ITV, Prince William: We Can End Homelessness features the stories of those currently experiencing homelessness or who were previously homeless, as well as poignant memories from the prince’s own life.