Sarah Bennett
It was the moment when Pride of Britain winner Sarah Bennett realised Prince Charles
should stick to the polo.
When the musically-gifted 24-year-old met the Prince at St James's Palace last month,
she hoped to teach him a few chords on her guitar.
But she had to concede defeat after His Royal Highness tried to play the instrument
while holding it the wrong way around.
Sarah says: "It was fantastic being introduced to the Prince because he is such
lovely and caring person. I sang him a bit of my song and he said how good my voice
was.
"I tried to get him to play a few chords but he held the guitar the wrong way up.
I think he's better at polo than music."
Sarah has been through more in her 24 years than most people experience in a lifetime.
After sleeping in hostels and on the streets for three years, she went on to abuse
drugs and later suffered a nervous breakdown.
But thanks to the Prince's Trust, Sarah has come through it all and is now using
her amazing musical talents to help others.
Prince Charles says: "Sarah's persistent determination to succeed, despite appalling
personal circumstances, has been remarkable and she has proved that with a little
help and self-confidence, even the biggest difficulties can be overcome.
"Her confidence and vitality are testimony to her own personal courage and I hope
that her story will bring encouragement to everyone."
After leaving her Northants home, Sarah stayed at a women's refuge. But she fell
in with the wrong crowd and started shoplifting and experimenting with drugs before
suffering a nervous breakdown.
After moving to Sussex to start an HND course, tragedy struck again when she was
injured in a traffic accident. She says: "I was I was feeling pretty down thinking
everything was about to go wrong again. I was living in a shared house at the time
and just started playing a friend's guitar and singing along as a form of therapy.
I picked it up quickly."
Impressed, a friend suggested she sign up for the Sound Live workshop run by the
Prince's Trust. Not only did Sarah win an award, she was made an ambassador for
the trust.
She is now studying vocals at the Academy Of Contemporary Music in Guildford, Surrey.
When she finished in July, she hopes to find a producer and manager - and also plans
to organise musical workshops for youngsters.
Sarah, who now lives in a YMCA hostel while she studies vocals, says: "My story
shows you can turn anything around," says Sarah. "One of the songs I've written
is about how there's no point just sitting there getting depressed.
"People have to realise that they are the key to sorting out their lives."