There will be a royal visit in County Durham today, to open a local business's new headquarters. 

HRH the Duke of Edinburgh will visit Learning Curve Group in County Durham on Thursday, September 19, to mark the Group’s 20th anniversary and officially open their Headquarters at DurhamGate.

Brenda McLeish OBE DL, CEO of Learning Curve Group, will welcome His Royal Highness Prince Edward, and escort him through the building where he will meet staff from various departments, as well as learners currently enrolled in training programmes.

During the visit, The Duke of Edinburgh will gain insights into how Learning Curve Group transforms lives through learning, helping individuals into work through diverse training opportunities.

He will also see how the organisation supports employers by upskilling both new and existing staff to fill vacancies and bridge skills gaps.

His Royal Highness will observe a physical training demonstration by learners who are in the education group’s military preparation and uniformed services programmes, at their MPCT academies, which provide an alternative route to mainstream education. 

Get the latest news, sports, and entertainment delivered straight to your device by subscribing to The Northern Echo here. 

Brenda McLeish OBE DL, CEO of Learning Curve Group, said: “It is an honour to show The Duke of Edinburgh the brilliant work we do here at Learning Curve Group and to celebrate our 20th birthday with us.

"We really do strive to transform lives through learning, and it is fantastic to be able to show His Royal Highness this first hand. Our learners are our biggest inspiration, and our staff are our biggest asset.

“The event will highlight the incredible work our staff do every day to support people in achieving their goals. We are proud of our ongoing work to help people gain crucial skills and find employment through our diverse training programmes.”