Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited Lancashire Constabulary’s Headquarters in Hutton, Preston, for the launch of Victim Care Lancashire (VCL).
VCL provides emotional and practical support to victims of crime in the Lancashire county, helping them recover from the impact of the crime they have experienced.
The Princess Royal met victim ambassadors from the Restorative Justice team, some of whom shared their stories at the event.
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Restorative justice gives the opportunity for people harmed by a crime and the people responsible for the harm to share how the crime has affected them.
Her Royal Highness, who is the patron of the Restorative Justice Council, said some words and unveiled a plaque at the event, where Victim Care Lancashire was officially launched.
On Tuesday 9 September, the RJ and VCL teams, Deputy Chief Constable Sam Mackenzie, and Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Kimberley Whitehead, were present at the unveiling of the plaque.
The plaque will take pride of place at the VCL office, based in Chorley Police Station.
Since the charity started operating in April 2025, they’ve received over 11,000 referrals and provided support to over 850 people.
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Collaborating with the Restorative Justice Team, who’ve been operating for more than ten years, they hosted the event to raise awareness of their services to support victims of crime in Lancashire.
Speaking at the event, Andy, whose son was killed in a collision in 2019 told his story.
He described his 14-year-old son Joe as ‘’such a cheeky lad’’, speaking of what the RJ process gave him.
Andy said: “After two restorative justice meetings with the driver, I found forgiveness for the man who killed my son, and as a result I’m also a changed man.
“I thought a lot about our first meeting – the answers he’d given me, how he was, he showed remorse. And I went back, and we sat and chatted, and I said, I forgive you for what you did.
“And that was through his honesty, through chatting, through that meeting. And I would never have thought I’d have done and said that. I never thought I’d forgive him.”
DCC Sam Mackenzie, of Lancashire Constabulary said: “This event rightly highlighted the work of those in the Victim Care Lancashire and Restorative Justice teams, and I hope raised awareness of who they are, and how they can support victims of crime.
“We very much enjoyed welcoming The Princess Royal to our headquarters and sharing the work of these two teams with her.
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“Those involved with VCL and RJ shared their own experiences at the event – something which was incredibly moving to hear, and I can only thank them for agreeing to share their stories with us and Her Royal Highness today.
“For the right people, and in the right circumstances, Restorative Justice can be hugely beneficial for victims who may want answers to any questions they have. We will always encourage anyone who thinks that RJ, or VCL could be beneficial to them to get in touch.”
Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Kimberley Whitehead, whose Office funds Victim Care, said:
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“Supporting victims of crime through accessible, local services is a key part of the Commissioner’s responsibilities.
“It was an honour to meet Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal and to share the positive impact of our work across Lancashire.
“I’m a passionate advocate of Restorative Justice and the transformative effect it can have on victims, empowering them to find their voice and begin to process what they’ve experienced.
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“Today’s visit has provided a valuable opportunity to highlight the outstanding support available in our communities, and I’m delighted that The Princess Royal joined us to help raise awareness. I hope it encourages anyone in need to reach out and access the help on offer.”
Information about support services for victim of crime including Restorative Justice and Victim Care Lancashire can be found on the support directory at the Victim Care Lancashire website.
If you have been a victim of crime, and would like to get in touch with Victim Care Lancashire, email support@victimcarelancashire.org.uk or call 01772 410410 during office hours between 8am to 6pm.
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