An academy trust which runs primary schools in the region has celebrated the official opening of its new head office.

Ely Standard: Former archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and the bishop of Ely Rt Rev Stephen Conway at the opening of DEMAT's new base. Picture: DEMATFormer archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and the bishop of Ely Rt Rev Stephen Conway at the opening of DEMAT's new base. Picture: DEMAT (Image: Archant)

The former archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams helped the Diocese of Ely Multi-Academy Trust (DEMAT) officially open their base in Ely.

The ceremony included a special performance from youngsters at Ely St Mary’s Junior School, with headteachers, governors and trust members from around the region attending.

DEMAT was set up in 2013, and is now home to 27 primary schools in the east of England, including 11 in Norfolk and others in Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and Suffolk.

In November 2017, Ofsted inspectors said the trust as a whole had been on an “accelerated journey of systematic improvement”, praising the quality of education in many of its schools.