Hereford is preparing for a Royal Visit today, with The Duke of Edinburgh visiting locations throughout the city today.
The Duke of Edinburgh
Member of the Court of Assistants, The Worshipful Company of Haberdashers will open the Haberdashers’ Monmouth School, 24 Hereford Road, Monmouth NP2.
The Duke of Edinburgh
Will visit New Model Institute For Technology & Engineering’s Centre for Advanced Timber Technology, Skylon Campus, Canary Drive, Hereford HR2.
The Duke of Edinburgh
Will visit the Herefordshire Veteran Support Centre, 19 West Street, Hereford HR4.
The Duke of Edinburgh
Will visit Holme Lacy College, Holme Lacy, Campus, Hereford HR2 6LL
Press Release from Holme Lacy College:
Holme Lacy College, part of the Herefordshire, Ludlow & North Shropshire College (HLNSC) Group, is proud to announce a special visit by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh,
who will tour the College’s new Low Carbon Technology Training Centre and its renowned Hereford School of Farriery and National School of Blacksmithing on Tuesday 1st October 2024.
During his visit, The Duke will be escorted by David Williams, Principal and CEO of
Herefordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire College Group, where he will explore the
innovative training being provided to students in sustainable construction and heritage crafts.
The Duke is passionate about promoting opportunities for young people and the tour
will begin at the Low Carbon Technology Training Centre, where The Duke will meet with Richard Tyler who is the Curriculum Team Leader for construction and building services, alongside apprentices specialising in environmental plumbing and heating.
This cutting-edge facility focuses on equipping students with vital skills in the growing field of low-carbon technologies, contributing to the future of sustainable construction.
Following the tour of the training centre, His Royal Highness will visit the College’s farriery and blacksmithing workshops.
Hereford School of Farriery is one of only three colleges in the UK delivering the Farriery Apprenticeship training programme.
The Duke will be introduced to lecturer Daniel Benett AWCF and will meet current apprentices honing their practical skills on their journey to becoming registered Farriers.
The tour will end in the blacksmithing workshop which is home to the National School of Blacksmithing and has the
largest training forge in Europe.
The Duke of Edinburgh will witness first-hand the expertise of the students and will even have the opportunity, under the watchful eye of experienced lecturers Tom Savage and Adam Greenwall AWCB, to try his hand at blacksmithing, a testament to the College’s dedication to preserving traditional craftsmanship alongside
modern skills development.
Holme Lacy College is the only further educational institution in the UK that has its own mixed organic farm and is recognised for its unique blend of sustainable agricultural practices, advanced green technologies, and traditional trades.
This visit highlights the College’s commitment to leading the way in both future-focused and heritage skills training.
Principal David Williams commented, “We are deeply honoured to welcome The Duke of Edinburgh to Holme Lacy College. His visit underscores the vital role of education in advancing both low-carbon technologies and traditional skills, all of which are essential to the future of industry and sustainability.”
Holme Lacy College continues to be a leader in education and training, dedicated to providing students with the skills needed to excel in both modern and time-honoured
professions.
Press Release from NMITE:
New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) is delighted to welcome The Duke of Edinburgh to the Centre for Advanced Timber Technology (CATT) at their Skylon Campus on 1stOctober 2024.
His Royal Highness, who will be accompanied by the Lord-Lieutenant of Herefordshire Mr Edward Harley CBE, will meet NMITE’s President and Chief Executive Officer, James Newby, academic staff and NMITE students, including those who have recently entered the workplace.
The visit will include a tourof NMITE’s Skylon Campus, providing an opportunity for His Royal Highness to get hands-on with NMITE’s unique approach to learning, and will conclude with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque.
Ahead of the visit James Newby, President & Chief Executive said “This will be an amazing opportunity to show The Duke of Edinburgh how NMITE is atransformative force in UK university and technicaleducation, redefining engineering and construction training on a national scale, how we are providing new educational opportunities for local people and helping to overcome the barriers to regional economic growth.
“Our overarching goal is to generate substantial employment, skills development, and economic impacts for Herefordshire, fulfilling the institution’s intended role as a catalyst for positive change in the region.”
During the visit, His Royal Highness will meet NMITE’s Foundation Year students, along with MEng and BEng Integrated Engineering students, some of whom will be showcasing their engineering and technology projects.
Several of NMITE’s Pioneers (NMITE’s first student intake from 2021) who have now entered the workplace will also be among those on-site to welcome His Royal Highness.
Representatives from NMITE’s recent Retrofit programme, and Timber Technology Engineering Design (TED) short courses will also be in attendance.
The venue for the visit, Skylon Campus, completed in 2021, has been recognised with a Construction Excellence Social Impact Award and is an exemplar of timber-based modern methods of construction.
Designed as a demonstration of the benefits of using timber as a building material, the building is a “Living Lab” and also stores 330,000 kg of CO2e, serving as a beacon for sustainability in the region and beyond.
Academic staff who will be present include Professor Robert Hairstans, CATT Director, Professor David Oloke, Chief Academic Officer and Steve Bertasso, Associate Professor. CATT which was established as a partnership between NMITE and Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) has drawn particular praise from industry and government for its part in developing innovation in timber construction.
Professor Hairstans, NMITE’s CATT Director, is also a Professor of offsite and industrialised construction at ENU’s School of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment (SCEBE). Hairstans says “It is a privilege to have the opportunity to explain how CATT is being established as a nationally renowned centre for research and education excellence in timber construction for the delivery and upgrade of the built environment.
“Our work in collaboration with the sector and throughout the supply chain has an important part to play in achieving the net zero carbon ambitions of the UK whilst enabling a just transition by means of upskilling and reskilling the professionals of the future.”
