THE Malverns Experience was launched some three years ago.

While a great deal of work has been done since then to help promote the area, there are still many people who may not be aware of the partnership or its aims.

The brainchild of Sharon Grey, head of economic development and tourism at Malvern Hills District Council, the group was put together by herself and the then council leader John Ford.

Its members, in the main of business and tourism-related organisations, were chosen for the part they had to play in making Malvern special.

The vision statement described the Malverns Experience as "A partnership to promote and demonstrate the quality and excellence of this unique area of Britain".

Its aim is to establish Malvern, not only as a tourist destination, but also to help businesses with recruitment and to encourage firms to relocate to the Malvern area.

The idea is that the partners should become ambassadors for the area.

But, in the end, our greatest ambassadors are you, the people of Malvern, our readers.

As a member, the Malvern Gazette & Ledbury Reporter is keen to play its part in raising the profile of the Malverns Experience both locally and nationally.

To this end, we are planning to run a series of features on members of the Malverns Experience, which we hope will increase the awareness of what Malvern has to offer.

Even in a place as beautiful as this, it is easy to sometimes take for granted what we have on our own doorstep.

How many people who would visit churches while on holiday, have never stepped inside Malvern Priory?

How many of us when we travel out of the area for work or leisure would think to say to those we meet 'you must come to Malvern'?

That is what the Malverns Experience is about. In the end we are all members and we can all do our bit to help promote the economic well-being of the area.

Nick Howells, Editor