A HEREFORDSHIRE farming family has made it to the finals for two top awards.

Upperfields Farm's Tre-Vern holiday barn, run by the Jones family, has made it to the Visit Herefordshire Tourism Awards finals.

The family have been recognised as a new tourism business and for their dedication to accessibility and inclusion.

Sheila Jones said: "We feel very privileged to make it to the finals at such a prestigious event. We are overwhelmed."

Mrs Jones and her husband Vernon Jones, as well as their daughters Keri and Stephanie, are responsible for the running of the farm and holiday accommodation.

The Jones family first arrived at Upperfields, which is in Llangarron, near Ross-on-Wye, in the 1940s, and Vernon was born in the front bedroom of the farmhouse. Sheila was born on a nearby farm on the side of Garway Hill.

Sheila with a lamb (Image: Upperfields Farm) The couple married in the early 1970s and carried on the farming tradition of milking cows, hay-making, silaging and more, as well as raising their family.

Keri and Stephanie as children (Image: Upperfields Farm) In December 2003, they decided to give up milking and convert the old milking barn, dating back to 1650, into a holiday home, named Little Gaerfields.

20 years later, the family expanded with another home, Tre-Vern, which is nominated for the Visit Herefordshire awards.

Tre-Vern is in the finals for two categories: accessible and inclusive tourism and new tourism business of the year.

The spacious, modern holiday home is rented out to groups and families who want to enjoy the Herefordshire countryside in comfort.

Tre-Vern is a spacious, modern holiday homeTre-Vern is a spacious, modern holiday home (Image: ROB DAVIES) ALSO READ:

The Visit Herefordshire finalists have been chosen for 14 categories, with a total of over 50 local visitor attractions, holiday parks, hotels, guest houses, restaurants and more on the shortlist.

The category winners will be named in early 2025.

Diane Mansell, chief executive of Herefordshire County BID/Visit Herefordshire, said: “We are incredibly excited to reveal the shortlist for the inaugural Visit Herefordshire Tourism Awards. The quality and diversity of the businesses represented is a testament to the strength of Herefordshire’s tourism sector. This year’s awards have drawn a fantastic response, and we look forward to celebrating the region’s best with the local tourism community in February 2025.”