Princess Anne opens Birmingham Mail offices - with video
The Princess Royal was accompanied by the Lord-Lieutenant of the West Midlands Paul Sabapathy, the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Birmingham, Coun Michael Wilkes and his wife Vivienne, and Trinity Mirror group architect John Steel.
The tour ended with a posy which was presented to her by Birmingham Mail Local Hero Callum Batham, aged nine, who had previously met Princess Anne at Buckingham Palace.
Callum, from Brierley Hill, was only six when he saved his dad Lee’s life following a seizure while they were out walking, despite having only received one first aid lesson from St John Ambulance. Lee said: “He was really nervous the whole day, but Princess Anne said she could remember him from the Young Achievers awards at Buckingham Palace in November, 2007, which she presented.”
He added: “I am totally recovered now thanks to Callum. I am very well and fit-free for two-and-a-half years.”
The Princess Royal had earlier been presented with a copy of The Malvern Hills by BPM Media graphic designer Mike Smart, featuring more than a hundred colour photos which he took over a two-year period.
She was greeted in the editorial department by Mail editor Steve Dyson, before sharing a joke with senior editorial staff during the midday news conference.
She also popped into one of the editing suites to see a video of her arrival being put together for the Mail’s website.
The Princess Royal also paused to look at the war memorial plaque, bearing the names of employees who died in the two world wars, which was moved from the old building to Fort Dunlop.
Mr Dyson said: “Our newspapers play a crucial part in this city, keeping readers up to date, fighting battles on their behalf and helping bind together our cosmopolitan population.
“It is therefore fitting that the Princess Royal felt our work important enough to come and see and hear about what we do and formally unveil our new headquarters.”
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