William and Kate had an “awesome” time as they enjoyed a land yachting session on St Andrews iconic West Sands.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge returned to their former university hometown to hear about the vital support offered by Fife Young Carers before racing each other across the sand.
And as they donned their bright yellow helmets, their competitive spirit was to the fore.
One of the Prince’s wheels rose off the sand as he circled in a determined bid to reach the finish line.
At one point the heir to the throne headed at speed towards the North Sea and was warned there was nothing between him and Norway.
Blown Away
After their hour-long session courtesy of twins Jamie and Guy McKenzie of St Andrews outdoor activities company Blown Away, the Duke declared: “That was awesome.”
He added: “I wish I could do that all day. It’s great fun.
“I love that I got a wheel up. It’s the best way to start the day.”
The Duke and Duchess are undertaking a week of engagements in Scotland.
They looked relaxed as they arrived at the beach, close to the town’s famous Old Course.
Dressed in casual clothes, they were introduced to six young people from Fife, all of whom have caring responsibilities on top of their school work.
Scott, Josh, Jaiden, Rebecca, Morgan and Katie joined the Royal couple in their land yachting adventures on the beach.
All were praised by William and Kate for coming through a particularly difficult year.
Young people
As they chatted about their roles and the support offered by Fife Young Carers, William told them: ” You should be proud of yourselves.
“There’s a lot of pressure on you guys and you’ve done really well.”
Based in Lochgelly, Fife Young Carers helps 597 young people up to the age of 18 maintain their physical and mental wellbeing through a range of outdoor activities, workshops and residential trips.
Most importantly, it offers those with caring responsibilities the chance to take some respite and have fun.
It means they can enjoy spending time with people their own age.
Kirstie Howell, service manager with Fife Young Carers, said: ” Most of what we do is about giving them a break from their responsibilities and allowing them to be young people again.
” Sometimes our young people don’t get the same opportunities as their peers.
“We’re able to offer them these experiences. It’s really valuable.”
Card scheme
Fife Young Carers recently introduced a Young Carers Authorisation Card scheme in schools, pharmacies and other medical settings around Fife.
The card helps young carers easily identify them without them having to repeatedly outline their circumstances and personal stories.
A young carer is defined as a child or young person whose life has been affected by looking after a family member with a physical disability, illness, addiction or mental health issues.
In 2019, 6,785 young people in Fife identified as young carers – approximately one in eight young people in the region.