PRINCE Charles will open the Stroud Festival of Manufacturing and Engineering on Monday.

HRH will officially launch FESTOMANE 2014 at the Creation and Innovation Revealed Exhibition at Stratford Park Leisure Centre.

He will meet stallholders from more than 30 companies and organisations from the engineering and manufacturing sector along with pupils who have been taking part in the FRijj and Technology Challenges in the run-up to the festival.

Neil Carmichael MP, who launched the festival in 2012, said: “I am delighted that the Prince of Wales will be joining us to open this year’s festival. The Stroud Valleys and Vale’s engineering and manufacturing heritage and future is second to none, and I look forward to celebrating this at FESTOMANE 2014.”

Visitors can see industrial artefacts from the old Redler’s Stroud factory.

The Redler’s Collection is one of many fascinating aspects of the district’s manufacturing and engineering past highlighted during a free Industrial Heritage Day at the Museum in the Park on Wednesday, November 26.

The displays run from 10am to 7pm, followed by talks on Stroud district’s part in the development of synthetic materials, plus the history of Rivers Mill and the Mawdsley factory.

The festival also includes a seminar entitled Grow Your Manufacturing Business, at SGS College, on Thursday (Nov 27); and Girl Power! A Careers Workshop for Girls in Years 9-13, at Renishaw New Mills, Wotton-under-Edge, on Saturday (Nov 29).

See www.festomane.co.uk