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Princess Anne to open £2.5m leisure centre


Britain’s Princess Anne is to open a £2.5 million water sports and leisure centre in Peterborough next month.

The 63-year-old royal – the daughter of Queen Elizabeth – will officially open Lakeside at Ferry Meadows in Ferry Meadows Country Park on July 8.

The Princess will be given a tour of the new facility upon her arrival and will also get to meet groups of board members, staff, tenants and volunteers during her visit.

She will also get a chance to meet volunteers and the users of Peterborough Sailability, which provides sailing for people with disabilities and carries out Vivacity Adapted Cycling schemes.

At the end of her visit, Anne – who is the Patron of the Royal Yachting Association Foundation – will unveil the plaque at the front of the new centre, before Nene Park Trust Chairman Jon Marsden will deliver a short speech.

Children from local schools have been invited to attend the opening along with friends and family of the park, but officials of Nene Park Trust, which operates Ferry Meadows, insists there is limited room for spectators.

The new centre is home to Nene Outdoors, which is a new water sports venture, and Lakeside Kitchen and Bar, which offers dining and function facilities at the park.