The Countess of Wessex visited Moat Brae in Dumfries, the Birthplace of Peter Pan, yesterday where she met children from Loreburn Primary School as well as those involved in creating an international visitor attraction and centre for children’s literature and storytelling.
Commenting on the Countess’ visit, Dame Barbara Kelly, Chairman of the Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust said: “This was a great day for Moat Brae and we were delighted and honoured that the Countess spent precious time with us to see the project. Her interest in our achievements thus far and her enthusiasm about our future plans was most encouraging.”
The Countess was given a tour of the magnificent Georgian house and stepped through the French windows into the ‘enchanted land’ where the young J.M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan, played pirate games as a child. As well as the Trustees and volunteers, she met members of the design team who recently completed the Phase A works, having saved the property from imminent collapse. Cathy Agnew, Project Director showed her the future plans for the proposed new centre for children’s literature and the Countess wrote a message of support which she placed on the ‘Tree of Happy Thoughts’ before speaking to young fairies and pirates from nearby Loreburn Primary School. She was presented with a Peter Pan pop-up book and a posy of flowers by Zak and Mhairi Smail from Noblehill Primary School.
