A local potter has said she was “very honoured” to have been asked to create special mementoes to mark the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s recent visit to Extern’s Roscor Youth Village.

Andrea Rogers of Polliwogs Paint Pots was assigned to create tiles for the Royal couple to sign which will form part of ‘the wall of hope’ at Roscor which will also feature tiles previously created by young people who attend the activity centre.

“We had done the tiles with the young people and then I was approached to do two extra tiles for the Duke and Duchess,” Andrea told this newspaper.

Wanting the tiles to represent the Royal couple and the children’s experience at Roscor, Andrea had asked the organisers what activities would be available on the day.

“They said there would be some camping, some canoeing and trail stuff so that’s why I did some of those wee symbols around the outside, to represent what would be going on that day,” she said.

After the Duke and Duchess had signed the tiles, Andrea set them with a clear glaze.

“Both tiles are going in the middle of the wall at Roscor,” explained Andrea.

“Theirs will be in the middle and all the children’s will go around them.”

Talking of how she was “delighted and honoured” to have been asked to create the tiles, Andrea continued: “It was a big thing and it was nerve wrecking preparing them and making sure it was right.”

She added: “I think as well, seeing the faces of the children on the day, and how they engaged with the Royal couple, I know that for some of those children, it would be life changing.”

As well as the tiles, Andrea had created a special bowl for the Duke and Duchess which featured the signatures and thumb prints of each child. When the Royal couple were presented with the bowl, a member of staff at Roscor heard Princess Kate say that it would be used in their home.

“They heard the Duchess say that it was going to be used in Kensington Palace as a fruit bowl,” said Andrea, speaking to The Impartial Reporter.