Kate Supports Oxford Charity

5 January 2012, 06:00 | Updated: 5 January 2012, 17:31

The Duchess of Cambridge is going to become the patron of an Oxford charity that helps troubled children with their self-esteem.

The Art Room uses art therapy to help children who are out of mainstream education or withdrawn and have been identified as needing special time away from school.

The charity is one of four Kate will support. The others are Action on Addiction, the National Portrait Gallery and East Anglia's Children's Hospices, St James's Palace said.

The organisations have been personally chosen by Kate and reflect her interests and issues she wants to highlight.

Chair of the Art Room, Grant Phillips, says they are thrilled and he hopes having the royal as a figurehead will make an enormous difference:

"This really does provide a fantastic opportunity for us to take the Art Room to a totally new level of development.

"Our vision is to have as many art rooms as possible in as many schools as we can, not necessarily in the Oxford area."

The Duchess, who turns 30 on Monday, will also become a volunteer with the Scout Association, joining activities privately with groups in north Wales and other areas.