PRINCESS Alexandra visited Hylands House last week to help celebrate the 30th anniversary of family support charity Home-Start.

The princess, the charity’s patron, was on hand to wish the Chelmsford, Witham, Braintree and Halstead branches happy birthday.

On her visit, she spoke to families who have been helped by the charity and received a posy of flowers from four-yearold Grace Figg whose family had been helped by the Witham branch.

Home-Start in Essex provided support to about 300 families last year. It recently received a grant of £365,000 from the Big Lottery Fund.