LEDBURY Places, the ongoing regeneration project for three of the town's most historic buildings, has just received a welcome fund raising boost from The Coaching Inn Group.

The company, which acquired Ledbury's popular Tudor built Feathers Hotel last autumn, has just promised to donate 50p per room sold at the hotel every night for a year.

The company's chief executive officer, Kevin Charity said the preservation of historic coaching hotels and inns across the country was central to the group's ethos and he was delighted to be supporting Ledbury Places.

"We plan to raise around £2,500 for this most worthy enterprise and hope that other businesses in the town will be able to offer their assistance," he said.

Ledbury Places trustee Melissa Hawker said she and her colleagues were delighted that The Coaching Inn Group had set the fund raising ball rolling "because of their interest and enthusiasm for old buildings".

She said: "A planned new doorway for Ledbury's historic Barrett Browning Institute would be a most worthwhile project for the group's sponsorship."

In the meantime, the Ledbury Places team will always welcome more volunteers.

Ms Hawker said: "We have around 150 members but we'd love even more residents to become interested by either volunteering at the heritage centre in the old grammar school or simply coming along to our agm in July"

Ledbury Places, and registered charity has now taken ownership of the Heritage Centre, Barrett Browning Institute and the Burgage Hall.

It hoped to take on more of Ledbury's heritage building,including the Market House, but a recent second bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund was not successful.

Ledbury Places is "currently evaluating the impact of that failure" and plans to make a third attempt for grant funding "but not immediately.

People can find out more by visiting Ledburyplaces.org or emailing Ledburyplaces@gmail.com