Last Friday, Stroud MP Neil Carmichael visited us at Severnside in Stonehouse, to take a tour of our site and meet with staff.

During the tour with Dairy Crest manager Andy Crabtree, Neil saw the developments and investments which we are undertaking at the site, and learnt more about the positive impact these will have on the local economy. The Severnside site currently employs 675 people, processes 500 million litres of milk every year, and is also the home of the FRijj milkshake.

The visit followed a meeting about the 2013 Stroud Festival of Manufacturing and Engineering (Festomane), of which Dairy Crest are a key sponsor. Stroud Festomane will be running between 11th and 15th November this year, and will include a careers fair featuring local employers (11th Nov), business skills seminars (12th Nov), an evening reception showing small local businesses how easy it is to take on extra staff (14th Nov), and talks from the IMechE and Kevin McCloud (13th Nov).

Speaking at Dairy Crest, Neil Carmichael commented:

“It is great to see Dairy Crest continuing to invest in local people and the local economy here in Stonehouse. One of the Festomane’s key aims is to highlight the opportunities available in manufacturing and engineering here in the Stroud district, and the Severnside site is a fantastic example of such opportunities.”

More information about the Festival of Manufacturing and Engineering can be obtained from Anona White at Neil Carmichael’s office on 01453 751 572; events are open to all, and are completely free.