PRINCE WILLIAM ECHOED DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES, WHEN HE DROPPED IN ON A HOSPICE FRO TERMINALLY ILL PATIENTS VISITED BY HIS MOTHER 18 YEARS AGO. THE PRINCE SPENT MORE THAN AN HOUR TALKING TO PATIENTS, STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS AT ST. BARNABAS HOSPICE IN LINCOLN. THE 27 YEAR OLD ROYAL JOKED WITH PATIENTS, ALL OF WHOM HAVE A TERMINAL ILLNESS SUCH AS CANCER AND MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE, DURING AN ART CLASS AT THE CENTER. IN 1992, HIS MOTHER WAS INVITED TO VISIT ST BARNABAS BY HIS AUNT AND THE PRINCESS'S ELDER SISTER, LADY SARAH MCCORQUODALE, WHO IS CURRENTLY THE HIGH SHERIFF OF LINCOLNSHIRE. DESPITE THE TREACHEROUS WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE PRINCE SPENT THREE HOURS ON THE ROAD FROM GLOUSTERSHIRE TO FULFILL THE ROYAL VISIT. DURING THE VISIT THE PRINCE SPOKE TO 59 YEAR OLD PATIENT JANE WOOD. AFTER THEIR MEETING, SHE SAID: 'IT WAS VERY GOOD. HE SAID I WAS ARTISTIC BUT I SAID THAT I WASN'T. HE SEEMED VERY INTERESTED IN OUR ART. HE'S JUST AN ORDINARY GUY, ISN'T HE?' HE ALSO SPOKE TO KELLY MCKELVY, 10, AND HER 14 YEAR OLD BROTHER BRADLEY. THE YOUNGSTERS, WHOSE MOTHER IS BEING SUPPORTED IN THE HOSPICE, THEN PRESENTED THE PRINCE WITH A TEDDY BEAR CALLED BARNABAS. ST BARNABAS SUPPORTS BETWEEN 12 AND 15 PATIENTS EACH DAY. AS WELL AS PROVIDING A RANGE OF COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES SUCH AS REIKI, AND INDIAN HEAD MASSAGE, IT ALSO HAS COUNSELORS AND OFFERS SUPPORT TO THE RELATIVES OF THOSE WITH TERMINAL ILLNESSES. THERE ARE SIX ST BARNABAS HOSPICES ACROSS LINCOLNSHIRE, BETWEEN THEM HELPING 1,800 PATIENTS A YEAR. IN 1992, THE PRINCESS VISITED ITS IN-PATIENT CENTER DURING A VISIT TO LINCOLN WITH THE PRINCE OF WALES TO OPEN THE CITY'S WATERSIDE SHOPPING CENTER.
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