The Princess of Wales is set for a busy week ahead as she launches her new early years awareness campaign, Shaping Up.
The Princess, accompanied by the Prince of Wales, attended a pre-launch event at the BAFTA headquarters alongside experts in the early years field and other campaigners who are going to help her create greater awareness of the necessity of researching and promoting the first five years of a child’s life.
In a speech, Catherine said: “The campaign is fundamentally about shining a spotlight on the critical importance of early childhood and how it shapes the adults we become.
“This is why it is essential, to not only understand the unique importance of our earliest years, but to know what we can all do to help raise future generations of happy, healthy adults.
“Those involved in raising children today need the very best information and support in helping to achieve this mission – and this campaign aims to help do that too.”
The official social media accounts of the Prince and Princess of Wales later shared a message from Catherine that read, “Wonderful to bring together some of those who’ve been on the early years journey from the start, alongside a few new faces, for a sneak peek at the very special film at the heart of #ShapingUs.”
The short film traces the first five years of Layla, a claymation figure’s life. The video will be screened in Piccadilly Circus and in movie theatres from the start of February 2023 to create greater awareness.
Shaping Us will also be supported by a wide range of campaigners from the worlds of media, arts, sports and other public-facing spheres. Kensington Palace has said that this new awareness campaign will weave a thread through Catherine’s work for the rest of her life.
Before ending her speech, Catherine also thanked the experts in the room for helping shape her knowledge on the early years, and said, “As you all know, by building a supportive, nurturing world around children and those caring for them, we can make a huge difference to generations to come. Because fundamentally healthy, happy children shape a healthy, happy future.”
