Princess of Wales brings her children to help families in poverty

The Princess of Wales has brought her children with her to a project helping families facing poverty this Christmas.

They joined volunteers at a "baby bank", which helps provide support for families with young children.

Prince George, aged 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and five-year-old Prince Louis helped pick toys and gifts to be given as presents.

A video of the visit says "a quarter of families with a child under five" in the UK are now "living in poverty".

The Child Poverty Action Group says that according to official figures there are 4.2 million children living in poverty - with a majority of these in working families.

The royal children, accompanied by their mother Catherine, Princess of Wales, were taught the importance of volunteering, with a trip to the baby bank in Holyport, near Maidenhead in Berkshire.

Prince George visited a Baby Bank project

"There's lots of people who give up their time and come and help out - and you're the volunteers for this evening," Catherine told her children.

The baby bank's co-founder Rebecca Mistry told them: "What we would like you to do, is try and choose some presents for some children who are a similar age to you guys."

Louis is seen holding up a large toy gorilla, as a potential gift for someone, saying: "This is a big guy."

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The project's Christmas campaign wants to support 1,600 children, with gifts including pyjamas, toys and chocolates.

"If you can't put the heating on, or not as high, the PJs are going to be thick and warm," Mrs Mistry said, adding: "And chocolate - because you can't really go wrong with a bit of chocolate."

This visit has been recorded in an advertising-style video and released by Kensington Palace on social media.

But the public service message has echoes of when Princess Diana brought Prince William and Prince Harry to visit the Passage homelessness charity, an experience which Prince William has mentioned as a shaping influence for his own homelessness campaign.

The focus on supporting families with young children also follows on Catherine's early years campaign, called Shaping Us.

On Friday Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis posted Christmas cards to children who may struggle this festive season as part of the annual carol concert organised by their mother at Westminster Abbey.