One of the things that has adapted and changed, since the Hereford Paranormal Group formed, is how we present and talk about ourselves. We have always believed that subject is much bigger than any individual and even the team itself. As a result you wont find bio pages or sections dedicated to an individual. Occasionally you may find a team member crops up in the news, but you will always find this site is about the team as a whole, the subject and its association with you and Herefordshire. But here is a brief history of how the team was formed and why. 

 

One of the founders had been involved had grown up with the subject and attended his first investigation in 1992. He went on to work with other paranormal groups throughout the UK and received training in a specialist area.  In 2001 he worked for the first time with what was to become a co-founder of the paranormal group. As the friendship progressed and more opportunities for investigations presented themselves to both, they found the passion for the subject grew as they worked on projects together. Even socially, one would just turn up and take the other off to investigate a venue and location randomly. One thing identified was the paranormal subject in Herefordshire was very much untouched at the time.  We appreciated the teenager/youngster had been exploring and using the term ghost hunt as they went on their own personal roller-coaster journey of excitement. But there didnt appear to be a team based in Hereford approaching the subject in a mature and professional manner. Also there was not an opportunity for the people of Herefordshire to get involved, or anywhere for them to display their stories and accounts on the ghost sightings in the County. 

 

In May 2006 the decision was made to form the Hereford Paranormal Group. An advertisement for members went out in all the local media where people were invited to apply to become involved. The response was phenomenal. In June 2006 the original website went live and we appointed a location manager and history researcher.  Shortly after, BBC Hereford and Worcester ran several reports, which included the investigative medium being tested whilst being recorded for a morning show. The interest from the Herefordshire community continued to grow and we decided to facilitate this interest by holding monthly meetings and giving the community the opportunity to attend investigations. We still receive a substantial amount of requests to hold the meetings again. In January 2007 and after a few essential changes, the group expanded its team of regular team members.  

 

We are still very much a non-profit making group. We have in the past done the occasional project to assist with the purchase of new or updated equipment, but not our regular investigations.  Any moneymaking schemes tend to be associated with us raising money through our charity events. Every year we undertake a charitable event and we have every intention of continuing to do so for the years to come. Many of our investigations held are free. We only charge attendees if we are being charged and this is literally a case of taking the charge and dividing it equally amongst attendees. We never charge owners/managers of properties for investigations.

 

We have investigated a huge array of buildings and locations. Some are private homes and some are huge properties open to the public. 70% of our investigations come from recommendations and referals. 

 

The website you are viewing through regular updates and changes since 2006. In 2009, we launched the very much-needed Haunted Hereford Paranormal Database. We had owned the domain name since 2006 and actively directed visitors to the Hereford Paranormal Group website.

 

Although, the HPG had the first website to offer paranormal stories specifically associated with the County, we realised from the amount of emails we were getting from the community of Herefordshire, these details needed to be collated in a structured and easy to navigate form. The press and local media offered a huge amount of support for this. Libraries, Tourist Information Centres and attractions throughout Herefordshire placed flyers in their premises promoting the group and the new Haunted Hereford website. This very much is a community project and it has been incredibly successful which is very much down to those who have submitted their stories for inclusion.

 

We removed/encouraged ego-led rather than subject-led individuals to leave very quickly. It was important to do this as no individual is greater than any subject and we are after all being trusted with people's properties and what can be a sensitive subject. Reliability, honesty, a team player and passion for the subject was and still remains paramount for our permanent investigation team.  

 

Many venues we were privileged to investigate for the fhe first time  are now involved in regular paranormal events by younger organisations and teams local to the area. This is positive as it is evidence of how the paranormal Herefordshire has progressed.  We may be the County's original group, but nobody owns the subject. We are just lucky to have continued for the length of time we have and been privileged enough to explore properties parnormally, often for the first time and before they perhaps become considered as being over investigated. 

 

These days we are still booking up investigation well in advance, with many venues requesting our services. We have been involved in the first paranormal convention type event in the County and have recently been requested to be involved in another. We receive weekly requests from people to be involved with us on an investigation. Particularly there seems an interest from Psychics/Mediums who are either experienced or developing and from others just keen to experience what a professionally led investigation is like.

 

We have also found our relationship with other teams across the UK building and have several projects planned in the future where we will be working together. Our regular visitors to our websites will notice how often they are updated.  A supporter once said we were the most respected paranormal group in Hereford. We would never give ourselves this praise and whether you agree or not, we do what we do and will continue to do so. For many this is a subject that is a passionate hobby. But for some of us its a way of life and even for some a religion.  The subject will always be the most important thing and our fundamental goal is to find that evidence that the afterlife does exist.

 

100s of properties have been investigated by the Hereford Paranormal Group as it approaches almost a decade of existence. Individually 1000's of properties have been investigated by our paranormal investigators. Have we discovered  evidence that casts no doubts over the existence of ghosts? Probably not, but we have had many attendees, including at times our investigators who walk away questioning many of the events that they have experienced.  We also have had attendees and investigators who started as sceptics and became believers from their own personal encounters on an HPG investigation. However, it is never our intention to convert anyone and remain balanced.

 

For some reason, it is quite unusual to find paranormal teams that still exist as long as the Hereford Paranormal Group. Particularly those who are still actively investigating locations. But any achievement of the HPG would not be possible if it wasnt for the support from the Herefordshire Community, all of the investigators past and present, the media and other teams. Thank you all so much! Please continue to get involved in any way you can.