The Princess Royal is expected to visit the
£3 million AccXel construction school in Cinderford on Friday 12 May 2023, to meet the staff and
apprentices as well as business partners and dignitaries from the Forest of Dean district.
Princess Anne will also speak to school pupils from the Forest of Dean aspiring to work in construction, observe construction and plant operations and perhaps even experiment with AccXel’s state-of-the-art simulation technology.
Nicola Bird, the founder and chief executive officer of AccXel, said: ‘We are honoured to be welcoming HRH The Princess Royal to our school and to showcase employer-led education, creating life-long careers and inspiring the next generation of construction professionals.’
Since opening in January 2022, AccXel has created more than 70 jobs for people from the county and given over 150 people the opportunity to advance their careers in construction.
The centre, which was part funded by money won for Gloucestershire by local enterprise partnership GFirst LEP, is due to create 64 annual career-starting opportunities through their apprenticeship programmes in September 2023.
Support has also come from 27 partner businesses, including county-based Barnwood Construction, Clarkson Evans, Keyway, Bloor Homes and Coslin Construction, plus Walters, JCB and Leica Geosystems.
Princess Anne’s visit will be commemorated by the unveiling of a plaque at the school.
