A FORMER convent whose sisters founded the neighbouring high school has had its prayers answered again for county education.

Lugwardine Court, once the home of the Sisters of Charity who started St Mary's RC High School, will once again support the school, together with a string of other worthy causes.

The trustees of Lugwardine Court were given Herefordshire Council planners' blessing to use the grade II listed building for education last week.

Formerly a care home for 31 residents, the building and grounds it will be used as office space by the school as well as the Marches Teacher Training Consortium, the charity BRAVO and possibly Herefordshire Nature Trust.

The kitchens will be used to cook school meals by Herefordshire Commercial Services and accommodation will become home to education staff.

The long term aim of the trust is to use the country house entirely for school and community use but in the meantime income will be raised by leasing parts of the building to education based organisations and charities.

"Planning policy supports change of use of large country houses to employment use subject to the character and setting of the building being protected," stated planning officers.

There are no plans to alter or extend the building.