THE Duke of Edinburgh will be visiting Hereford next week, and more details of his trip have been revealed.

The duke, Prince Edward, will be visiting Holme Lacy College, NMITE and the veteran support centre on October 1.

The Hereford Times revealed that the duke would be visiting Hereford earlier this week, with the visit listed in the royal diary.

Now, Holme Lacy College, part of the Herefordshire, Ludlow & North Shropshire College (HLNSC) Group has formally announced the royal visit.

The college said that the duke will visit the new low-carbon technology training centre and its renowned farriery and blacksmithing workshops.

The duke will be shown around by David Williams, principal and chief executive of HLNSC.

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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, Prince Edward 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 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.

Principal David Williams said: “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.”