Cheshire Racing Hub turns spotlight on horseracing careers

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Young people are being encouraged to ‘kick on’ into a racing career thanks to a new project which turns the spotlight onto Cheshire’s thriving horseracing industry.

‘Racing Through Education’ has been launched by Cheshire Racing Hub to promote the wide choice of attractive careers available in the industry to secondary school pupils, college students and veterinary undergraduates.

The initiative is being led by Cheshire West and Chester Council as part of its rural regeneration strategy, with support from partners Reaseheath College in Nantwich, the University of Liverpool and Chester Race Company.

Reaseheath College, a leader in equine education, is for the first time offering a bespoke racing module within its equine courses which has been taken up by over 40 students. The University of Liverpool, which has an international reputation for its equine veterinary and research specialisms, is encouraging future vets at the Philip Leverhulme Equine Hospital, Wirral, to look at opportunities within the industry while Chester Race Company operates Chester and Bangor-on-Dee racecourses, key venues for racegoers.

Local schools and colleges are being encouraged to promote horseracing as an exciting, but often unrecognised, career route which is available locally. The message coincides with national publicity about a critical staff shortage in the racing industry. Project co-ordinator is Sophie Keepax, a Reaseheath Higher Education equine course manager and lecturer.

Cheshire Racing Hub was formed in 2013 to promote horseracing as a career among school and college students and to encourage the growth of equine businesses and investment in Cheshire. This followed research which identified horse racing as a key economic driver within the region.

After a break in funding, the partnership has received a second grant of £13,920 from the British Horseracing Grant Scheme to continue its work with young people through ‘Racing Through Education’. The project is part of the British Horseracing Authority’s ‘Racing Together’ scheme to promote careers in racing and to raise the profile of racing nationally within communities.

Speaking at the Malpas yard of point to point trainer Oliver Greenall, where the ‘Racing Though Education’ launch was held, Chair of Cheshire Racing Hub Kay Kent said: “Horse racing is growing in economic importance to Cheshire and we are delighted to receive this second grant to highlight the careers opportunities available to young people across the county, from both rural and urban backgrounds.

“It’s important that young people fully realise just how many rewarding jobs are available, not just riding and  caring for racehorses but within the support industries such as farriery, veterinary services,  equine dentistry and physiotherapy, nutrition  and racing administration. We will be working with both local and national training providers involved with racing to ensure young people have all the information they need to take their first steps into a racing career.”

For further details on ‘Racing Through Education’ contact Sophie Keepax  sophie@cheshireracinghub.co.uk

Picture caption: Racing Through Education’ launches with (l-r) Sue Griffith (Work Related Co-ordinator, Bishop Heber High School); Sophie Keepax (Project Co-Ordinator); Dr Jan Birch (Higher Education Programme Leader, Reaseheath College); Dr Ellen Singer (Senior Lecturer in Equine Orthopaedics, (University of Liverpool); Jeannie Chantler (General Manager, Bangor on Dee Racecourse); Oliver Greenall (Oliver Greenall Racing); Kay Kent (Chair of Cheshire Racing Hub); Sean O’Connor (Community Engagement Manager, Racing Together); Carrie Ford (Regional Education Officer, British Horseracing Education and Standards Trust); Ellie Morris ( Rural Regeneration Programme Manager, Cheshire West and Chester Council)

A flavour of fruit growing at annual apple festival

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Hundreds of local families got a real flavour of fruit growing at Reaseheath College’s popular apple festival over the weekend.

Our horticulture students demonstrating apple pressing

Our horticulture students demonstrating apple pressing

The fruity festival, held at the Nantwich college as part of a national celebration of the English apple, featured 115 rare varieties of apples, some dating back to Roman times and some of more recent origin.

Horticultural experts Derek Jones and Harry Delaney were on hand to identify apple varieties, answer queries on the production of apples and other fruits and offered advice on the selection, growth, pruning and propagation of fruit trees.

Many visitors arrived with fruit and foliage for identification or brought in their own apples for juicing. Tours of the College’s fruit garden were delivered by former horticulture student Philip Swift, whilst Reaseheath’s current cohort of Royal Horticulture Society (RHS) students set up and helped to man the festival. Many of the apples on show were donated by Elizabeth Gentil, widow of Tony Gentil, Reaseheath’s former Deputy Head of Horticulture or came from Reaseheath’s own fruit orchard.

The festival, being held at Reaseheath for the 24th consecutive year, was aimed at encouraging gardeners to preserve old varieties of apples and soft fruit by growing them in their own gardens.

Explained Harry Delaney: “The English apple is part of our national heritage and though some species have been lost forever, the festival gives us the chance to think about the huge number of varieties we have left and how we ought to preserve them.

“This event is becoming busier each year. Lots of local families are interested in identifying and learning how to care for the old fruit trees they have inherited, or want to plant new trees in their gardens.”

Reaseheath College is offering day courses in pruning and grafting over the winter months and also has fruit trees for sale now. For further details contact 01270 613211 or suepa@reaseheath.ac.uk.

Katie excels during latest South African adventure

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BSc (Hons) Wildlife Conservation and Ecology graduate Katie Adams is set on a highly specialised career helping to conserve endangered species.

Widely travelled and with experience of working in animal rehabilitation in South Africa and in the UK, she feels that achieving her Reaseheath degree has very much helped to crystallize her career options.

Katie Adams in Africa duing her FGASA training

Katie Adams in Africa during her FGASA training

Hoping to specialise in the conservation of big cats and habitats, Katie’s returned to South Africa in January on 6 month training scheme with the Field Guide Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) to gain her level 1 field guide licence. So far she’s achieved 90% and above in a range of modules in her first semester including an introduction to guiding, mammals , reptiles, ecology, taxonomy, tree identification and ethology.

Once she’s completed her initial training Katie will go on to complete a 6 month work placement. From there she intends to combine working as a field guide with conservation research, hoping to concentrate on  the Limpopo region of South Africa.

Although she has always wanted to work with animals, Katie, 28, admits she had trouble choosing the right career in a very diverse industry. She completed an apprenticeship in small animal care, but realised that it wasn’t the right path for her.

As she had been out of full time education for a while, Katie prepared for her degree by completing a Access to HE course in biological sciences in her home town of Hull. She proceeded to combine studying for her degree with a job as a supermarket deputy manager.

She says: “I always knew I wanted to work with endangered animals, however in such a competitive industry it can be hard to know how to pursue your dream.

“I left school at 17 and never thought I would go back into education. But with the support of lecturers at Reaseheath, I’ve gained the personal confidence and professional encouragement to develop skills I didn’t know I had. Those skills I will no doubt benefit from for many years to come.

“Despite the hard work needed to complete my degree, it was some of the best years of my life.”

Reaseheath students inspired by ‘Horses Inside Out’

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Reaseheath College’s equine students had the unique opportunity to work with inspirational equine anatomist Gillian Higgins when the British Horse Society (BHS) Cheshire branch presented a ‘Horses Inside Out’ demonstration at Reaseheath’s Equestrian Centre.

Gillian, who is a BHS senior coach, equine anatomist and sports and remedial therapist, founded ‘Horses Inside Out’ as an education resource for the equine industry and her demonstrations and conferences attract an international following.

The event, organised by BHS Cheshire officers and volunteers, covered equine anatomy and biomechanics and demonstrated the muscular skeletal system of horses in action. It featured many exercises, ridden and on the lunge, which could be used at home to improve the posture of both horses and riders.

The sell-out audience included BHS instructors, competitive riders, sports therapists, equine students and leisure riders. Reaseheath degree and Level 3 Diploma students had the chance to prepare the two equine ‘stars’ of the evening by painting the structure of their skeleton and muscles onto their bodies under the supervision of Gillian Higgins. The students also provided the arena party.
The horses were Roger, an 11 year-old Irish Sports Horse who events with owner Kelly Cain, and Ralph, an 8 year-old Connemara belonging to Reaseheath Foundation Degree in Equine Science and Management undergraduate Alice Banner.

Gillian said: “The aim of these demonstrations is to turn what could be a dull and difficult subject into something very relevant and also show how the posture of the rider affects horse performance and potentially horse welfare. Hopefully it will inspire Reaseheath’s students and those in the audience to learn more about anatomy and biomechanics.”

Reaseheath College is a BHS approved training centre and encourages students to gain BHS qualifications as part of their portfolio.

Hannah Carrick, Regional Development Officer for the North West said: “The demonstration was a tremendous success and we received many compliments from spectators. I would like to thank our volunteers and Reaseheath College for working together to put on such a fascinating and educational event.”

 

It’s a done deal for Higher Education students at Reaseheath

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The Faculty of Higher Education at Reaseheath College launch their Bursary schemes for HE Students from September 2016.

‘The Deal @ Reaseheath’ is a package of support designed to equip new students who have a means tested household income of less than £25,000, with the tools for success in their studies. The deal comprises of a £100 ‘starter pack’ that is tailored to each course area, and the ‘Reaseheath Bursary’ that provides a further £900 worth of support to those in need.

Also launching today is the ‘Aspire’ bursary, available to all level three students who progress through to a Higher Education programme* at Reaseheath. 

Sean Hargreaves, Academic Operations Officer within the Faculty says: “Reaseheath College is committed to providing additional financial support to those who need it.  Our bursary schemes detailed above are designed to ensure that students can all access, thrive and succeed in Higher Education at Reaseheath College.”

For more information visit our Additional Financial Support page.

*Programme must be validated by Harper Adams University

Florists enjoy demonstration by leading expert

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Floristry students had the chance to learn from a leading expert when Diane Fair,  an international floral demonstrator for the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies (NAFAS), gave a demonstration in our historic Old Hall.

During her demonstration Diane, who is also a qualified floristry judge and an award winning competitor at local and national level, created six contemporary and traditional floral designs. She also gave our students tips for their future careers. Students on both full time and leisure courses attended the event, gaining first hand knowledge of how a professional demonstration is organised.

This was the first time Diane had used a college as a venue, but not the first time she had visited our campus. She launched her floristry career  as a competitor at a Young Farmers Rally at Reaseheath!

Said Diane: “It was lovely to be joined by so many keen young people and a great chance to tell them about the many opportunities in the industry.”

Jack awarded scholarship to explore fish behaviour

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BSc Wildlife Conservation and Ecology graduate Jack Wootton spent the summer studying how fish respond to reflective stimuli after being awarded a research scholarship by the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW).

Jack, who is passionate about fish welfare and is particularly keen to improve the living conditions of fish in aquaria, applied for his scholarship while studying for his degree. He spent three months working with guppies at the University of Chester, recording whether and how the fishes’ behaviour was affected by the reflective surface created by standard glass.

His research, which has not been carried out to this depth before, is aimed at improving the welfare of fish commonly kept as pets.  He is currently working on a research paper which he hopes will be published in 2016 and is keen to continue his research with different species of fish.

Jack completed a Level 3 Diploma in Animal Management with us in 2010 and then spent two years working in Borneo and in the UK industry. Returning to education, he completed a Foundation Degree in Animal Behaviour and Welfare followed by a one year top-up to a BSc. During his studies, he gained relevant work experience in the fish department of our Animal Centre.

Jack said:  “I thoroughly enjoyed working with UFAW and hope that my research will help to improve the welfare of fish in aquaria. Although my true passion is for conservation I found the scientific study incredibly interesting and I would be keen to continue for a Masters degree or PhD. Being a Reaseheath student definitely played an integral part in building my passion for aquatic life and furthering my career”.

Helen Kay, Higher Education Support Team (HEST) Leader, said: “Jack is definitely one to watch for the future. As well as working to the highest level for his degrees, he always found time to help, educate and inspire less experienced students. The HEST team is convinced he will go to the very top in his career.”

Equine students provide arena party at HOYS

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Our equine students were commended for the professional way they provided the arena party for one of the world’s premier events, the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS).
Students and staff worked alongside international course designers Bob Ellis and Kelvin Bywater, learning new skills and making new contacts. Competitors included elite showjumpers John, Robert and Ellen Whitaker and Ben Mayer.

Bob Ellis commented: “Yet again, Reaseheath’s arena party was exceptional and helped us to put on a superb show at this world class venue.”
Reaseheath’s arena parties have built up such a reputation that earlier this year we were approached to provide an arena team for Bolesworth International and for the British Show Jumping National Championships at Stoneleigh Park – and we’ve already been booked for Bolesworth and HOYS in 2016.

A team of Levels 1, 2 and 3 students also stewarded the dressage and showjumping arenas at Kelsall Hill last week for British Eventing.

Watch our equine team and hear Bob Ellis’ comments as our students prepare the course for Bolesworth International.

 

Reaseheath College degrees are a good investment, graduates told

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Although studying for a degree could be costly, it would prove to be a phenomenal  investment in later life, new graduates from Reaseheath College heard last week.

Speaking at the Nantwich college’s Faculty of Higher Education (HE) graduation ceremony, Principal Meredydd David said that an independent analysis had shown that spending £40,000 on course fees and living expenses would bring in nearly a third of a million pounds during a career.

Because Reaseheath degrees were specialist technical qualifications combining knowledge, practical skills and industry experience, graduates were ahead in the jobs market and 90% who completed their qualification last year were in related employment within six months.

Equine Science graduate Hannah Dickson, Outstanding Achievement in undergraduate research in Equine Science Award winner with Dame Sarah Storey DBE

Equine Science graduate Hannah Dickson, Outstanding Achievement in undergraduate research in Equine Science Award winner with Dame Sarah Storey DBE

The HE faculty had grown rapidly due to demand and would shortly have 1,000 undergraduates studying for degrees such as  equine, agricultural and animal science, landscape design, food technology, engineering and countryside, adventure sports and rural events management. As well as those following the conventional ‘A’ level route, many students were mature learners who wanted higher qualifications to change career or help with career progression.

The Quality Assurance Agency, which carries out an Ofsted style assessment of HE courses, judged Reaseheath’s programmes as ‘outstanding’ and a national student survey showed a level of satisfaction which was well above average.

Meredydd also outlined the £50 million investment which had resulted in the campus having some of the best specialist facilities and resources in the country. These included a licensed teaching zoo, an indoor equestrian centre and an industry standard food production centre.

A further £30 million of new build was underway, with an £8 million National Centre for Food Futures and the Environment shortly to be opened. Further halls of residence, science laboratories and an extension to the HE Centre would start next May and a £7 million Advanced Agricultural Engineering Academy was currently being designed.

The graduation ceremony, held in St Mary’s Church, Nantwich, celebrated the success of 116 graduates who had successfully completed degrees validated by Harper Adams University. Over 20% achieved a first class honours or distinction, and three graduates were singled out for special recognition.

They were Hannah Dickson (Outstanding Achievement in Undergraduate Research in Equine Science), Emily Westwood (Academic Excellence Award in Equine Science) and Anife Turchin (Academic Excellence Award in Horticultural Science).

Animal management undergraduates on University of Chester programmes graduate at Chester Cathedral in November.

Guest of honour was Dame Sarah Storey, Britain’s most decorated female Paralympian, who has won 11 gold, eight silver and three bronze medals in six Paralympic games in the sports of cycling and swimming and has also brought home GB medals in World Olympics.

You can see more photographs and download the full 2015 Conferment of Awards list here.

Floristry demonstration by leading expert

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Local floristry enthusiasts will get the chance to learn from a leading expert when Diane Fair gives a demonstration at Reaseheath College, Nantwich, on Tuesday October 13.

Diane, an international floral demonstrator for the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies (NAFAS), will create six floral designs during a two hour afternoon demonstration in the college’s historic Old Hall.

In addition to her demonstrator role, Diane is a qualified floristry judge and a keen award winning competitor at local and national level. All of her designs will be raffled off to members of the audience at the end of the demonstration.

The event runs from 2pm to 4pm. Tickets cost £4 and cover entry, refreshments and a raffle ticket. Space is limited, so book your ticket now through Reaseheath’s online store to avoid disappointment!

Buy Your Tickets

Photo caption: International floral demonstrator Diane Fair