Herefordshire College 'scraps furniture making course'

A group of furniture making students said they were told 10 days before the end of the summer term that Herefordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire College (HLNSC) was planning to stop offering furniture courses.

The students say enrolling on a similar course would involve them transferring to Bristol or Oxford.

The students feel "let down" (Image: Rob Davies)

HLNSC, which has a campus in Hereford's Folly Lane, has not publicly confirmed that the course is to be cut, with furniture making still showing as an option on the college website. 

But students and a parent have said that they feel "let down" by the college due to a lack of communication about the decision, which they say was revealed to them last week.

Helen Henman, a 70-year-old mature student, said: "I am about to complete level two of the furniture making course. This is an excellent, well-taught course, and supported young people who struggled with more technical or demanding jobs. 

"I and my fellow students, aged 16 and 17, had intended to continue on to level three next year.

"Earlier in the year, our tutor had informed us that the courses were full for next year and funding was available.

"Last week, 10 days before the end of term, the college informed us that they were closing the entire faculty, no reasons given. I think this is very disappointing, unprofessional and frankly sneaky.

"It deprives young people of possible future careers. It also deprives the wider community; Herefordshire is a county where skilled craftspeople and artisan makers flourish. Where are these people to come from in the future?

"In addition, to tell us of their decision a few days before the end of the academic year leaves many young people with difficult decisions to make. They offered to help us find other courses but Bristol and Oxford are the nearest."

Helen Henman says the decision was "sneaky" (Image: Rob Davies)

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Nikki Sweet, whose daughter was due to start the course in September, added: "My daughter has been booked on since February and has wanted to do this course for years.

"We are obviously distraught to be told this course is no longer going ahead with next to no explanation. We feel utterly let down with nowhere to go.

"This is so late. My daughter has already left school and has nowhere to go in September at this point."

The college has not responded to a request for comment at the time of going to print.