Right Royal Christmas for young Isabella

15 December 2008

A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD with Down's Syndrome was given the opportunity of a lifetime when a national charity invited her to meet Prince Charles at Clarence House.

Isabella Costello, from East Ham, joined 11 other sick and disabled children invited by two charities Caudwell Children and The Helen and Douglas House Hospice, to decorate the Royal Christmas tree in the residential home of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall.

During the two-hour engagement Isabella, of Northfield Road, enjoyed meeting The Prince of Wales as he helped children to hang decorations on the Christmas tree and spent time talking to the family and carers of the children while posing for photographs. Accompanying Isabelle was her mother Eunice.

Due to a bout of the flu, The Duchess of Cornwall was unable to join the party but made a special appearance to wave goodbye and wish the visitors a merry Christmas.

After decorating the tree, the children were treated to a party lunch in the family dining room and were each given royal goodie bags with memorabilia from their special visit.

Isabella was invited to the festive event by Caudwell Children, which is widely recognised as one of the country's fastest growing children's charities.

The Recorder, and our parent company Archant, will be supporting the charity next year.

Full story by chief reporter Susan Smith in next Wednesday's Newham Recorder.