William joins Ross Kemp to prepare for emergencies

The Prince of Wales and actor Ross Kemp have united to help communities plan for emergencies in a world the BBC Celebrity Traitors star believes has become "more dangerous".

Prince William arrived in Ilminster, Somerset, earlier to launch a new initiative called Ready Together, a National Emergency Trust project to help communities prepare for emergencies, including wildfires and flooding.

Speaking at the meeting where they discussed how residents could become more resilient, Kemp said: "The world, to be really honest, is in a far more dangerous situation than it was 30 years ago.

"The more prepared we are for all eventualities, the better we'll be able to cope with them."

Prince William tried to prise a spoiler when he met with Kemp, who is currently a contestant in Celebrity Traitors.

Speaking to a group of young people in Ilminster, William joked: "I'm going to get the answer.

"Do you watch The Traitors? I'm going to get the answer to what happens and I am going to tell you later.

"Spoiler alert today...he's here."

Kemp told BBC Radio Somerset that he had received more attention from his appearance on the reality TV show than when he starred in Eastenders.

"I went to the petrol station, which is the petrol station, [I've used since] I've been on television for 43 years," he said.

"I've never [before] been selfied five times while I was filling my car up."

William is patron of the National Emergencies Trust, while Kemp, who has a background with reporting from crisis and conflict zones, is an ambassador.

The charity launched in 2019 to collaborate with other UK charities during times of disaster.

During the visit the prince launched the Ready Together project providing communities across the UK with practical guidance to help them prepare for and respond to emergencies.

Kemp said the Somerset area had suffered in recent years from flooding and that by working together residents could overcome adversity.

"Bringing people together is what this is. This campaign is about making sure that they can pull together in the case of an emergency," said Kemp.

"People across the world are pretty good when it comes to a disaster and they will go the extra mile.

"How much better would they be if they prepare for it? This area needs to be prepared for a flooding.

"We all we all have a role to play. We all have our own skills, and it's about defining them."

During the visit, Prince William joined volunteers and young people taking part in a training exercise involving a series of emergency scenarios.

William also met members of the Ilminster Resilience Group, which has supported residents during severe flooding, and visited Sweet Surprise, a café providing opportunities for adults with learning disabilities.

Local business owner Carole Speke, who runs Silver Street Dairy, said she appreciated Prince William supporting rural communities.

"I was flooded many years ago and it really affected us but the community rallied and we came back," she said.

"So it's great to see him here supporting the community."

One child at the event, eight-year-old Hallie, handed a letter which she had written to Princess Charlotte to Prince William.

She said it was "really exciting" to speak to him.

Chard Town Councillor Banah Crook took her mother Jamila to see Prince William on her 80th birthday.

"I am a great lover of the Royal Family," said Jamila.

"I am very, very happy, this is a real gift of God that I met Prince William. I cannot explain my happiness."

A spokesman for Kensington Palace said: "Research has shown that people are very willing to help in an emergency, including to support their neighbours during a crisis.

"At the same time, far fewer feel their communities have the structures and plans in place to respond effectively.

"Ready Together seeks to bridge that gap by turning goodwill into practical preparedness."

Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.