Students get real-life training on avoiding farming accidents

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Reaseheath College agriculture students were taken onto the scene of four life threatening ‘incidents’ which happened on the college’s working farm last week.

The scenarios were of typical farming accidents and the students had minutes to work out what had happened, decide on immediate action, discuss first aid procedures and explore what measures should be taken to prevent it happening again.

Students learn how to safely deal with accidents caused by falling from height

Students learn how to safely deal with accidents caused by falling from height

The event was a free educational workshop delivered by The Farm Safety Foundation, an award-winning charity established by NFU Mutual to help raise awareness of farm safety among young farmers.

The workshop consisted of ‘crime scenes’ depicting typical farming accidents. These were: crush injuries caused by livestock, falls from high buildings, accidents involving all-terrain vehicles and injuries caused by machinery – in particular those using power take–off.

 About 60 Level 2 and Level 3 Extended Diploma in Agriculture students took part in the all-day workshop and spent around 20 minutes studying each scene before discussing it.

A 'typical farm accident' scenario involving an all-terrain vehicle demonstrated to students

A ‘typical farm accident’ scenario involving an all-terrain vehicle demonstrated to students

Reaseheath Agricultural lecturer Phil Gibbon said: “This was a fantastic opportunity to reinforce the college’s high standards of safety teaching, which are embedded throughout our curriculum. Unfortunately, statistics show agriculture is still a very dangerous industry in which to work and we all need to show commitment towards raising safety standards.”

The Farm Safety Foundation, which was set up two years ago, has doubled the number of student workshops it is offering nationwide in 2016 as part of its ‘Yellow Wellies’ campaign. A total of 22 colleges have booked the activity, with the Reaseheath event being the first of the year.

Stephanie Berkeley, Farm Safety Campaign Specialist emphasised: “We need to ensure farm safety remains at the forefront of every activity which students explore as part of their journey into agriculture. This is key to our aim of reducing the toll of injuries and fatalities which bring heartbreak and misery to numerous families and rural communities every year.

“By working closely with colleges like Reaseheath, we hope that together we can make a difference by challenging and changing attitudes to health and safety in tomorrow’s farming community.”

Level 3 Extended Diploma in Agriculture student Rowan Braunton said: “We are taught health and safety in the classroom but seeing real life situations really brings it home in a practical way. The fact that we’re discussing it at college makes it ‘cool’ among my generation.”

Conservationist Dominic Dyer champions educated discussion

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A thought provoking lecture by prominent conservationist Dominic Dyer was followed by informed questions from members of Reaseheath’s Conservation Society.

Dominic, who is known for his debating skills at the highest level, gave a talk entitled ‘Standing Up for Wildlife at Home and Abroad’ to a full audience of students, staff and the public at our Higher Education Centre.

Dominic Dyer joined by members of Reaseheath Conservation Society members

Dominic Dyer joined by members of Reaseheath Conservation Society members

A leading expert on wildlife protection and conservation issues, Dominic is currently Chief Executive of the Badger Trust, Senior Policy Advisor  for the Born Free Foundation and a Council Member for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (Veterinary Nurses Council).

As former Chief Executive of the Crop Protection Association, he is also known for his expertise in plant science and global food security and is a regular speaker and commentator in UK and international media on food security, conservation and foreign policy.

A former civil servant, Dominic described his career working for the government and how he had become inspired to campaign for science led, sustainable policies to resolve issues within the food production, farming and wildlife sectors.

Speaking on the need for the protection of species, from badgers and seals in the UK to dolphins, lions and elephants abroad, Dominic emphasised that educated discussion backed up by proper field evidence was the key to success rather than a reliance on anecdotal evidence.

He said later: “This was a very successful event. I’ve enjoyed talking to young people who are both well informed and enthusiastic about their subject and who are able to have intelligent discussion about  potentially contentious subjects.”

Increase your career prospects with an equine degree

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BSc (Hons) Equine Science Hannah Dickson - Outstanding Achievement in undergraduate research in Equine Science Award winner

BSc (Hons) Equine Science Hannah Dickson – Outstanding Achievement in undergraduate research in Equine Science Award winner

The debate goes on but the message is clear: studying for an equine science degree hugely improves your career prospects.

This was the main topic of conversation when Reaseheath College in Cheshire partnered Horse & Hound, Britain’s most respected information source, in a recent on-line careers webchat.

Equine lecturers Kate Douglas-Dala and Jess Denham, both Advanced Practitioners at the college, were inundated with questions from young people planning their future careers and from others who are already employed but looking to progress or change careers.

Here are some examples of their advice:

Lots of employers say equine colleges are not preparing graduates adequately for work in the industry. Why should I bother to get an academic qualification?

  • All Reaseheath’s equine degrees are focussed on employability. All courses include the opportunity to work practically with horses, from stable management through to gait analysis using the latest mechanical software.
  • Reaseheath places high importance on employability skills. Graduates leave with a skills portfolio which demonstrates they have both practical competencies and the paper based qualifications to succeed in the industry.
  • Undergraduates complete a work placement as part of their course, Many employers are so impressed with our students’ skills that they offer them paid employment once they have gained their qualification.
  • We work with a wide range of partners, allowing our students to gain experiences and contacts within the industry. For instance we provide the arena party at prestigious international events such as the Horse of the Year Show and Bolesworth International.
  • What really sets us apart are our links to industry including The International Committee on Equine Exercise Physiology, the Advancing Equine Scientific Excellence Group and key industry stakeholders such as the Cheshire Racing Hub. These links have opened the door to collaborative research projects, conference attendance bursaries and a range of research opportunities.
FdSc Equine Science and Management graduates Rebecca Webb, Rebecca Wilkinson, Amy Cunningham, Dame Sarah Storey DBE and Kate Douglas-Dala (lecturer)

FdSc Equine Science and Management graduates Rebecca Webb, Rebecca Wilkinson, Amy Cunningham, Dame Sarah Storey DBE and Kate Douglas-Dala (lecturer)

I’m a mature student thinking of changing career? Will I be able to cope with returning to learning?

  • We’re noticing an increase in the number of mature students who have chosen to ‘pursue their dream’ and retrain for a career in the equine industry. We offer a range of support to this student group to facilitate a stress free return to studying.
  • Our course team is always ready to help with any specific challenges. We have a fantastic learning centre which supports undergraduates individually or by using a combined peer approach. Students can also have one-to-one sessions with a specialist tutor.
FdSc Equine Science Complementary Therapy and Natural Horsemanship

Successful Foundation Degree in Equine Science, Complementary Therapy and Natural Horsemanship graduates celebrate with Course Manager Dawn Gale and Dame Sarah Storey

Do you favour candidates with a science background?

  • We prefer you to have some science based qualifications for our Level 3 Diplomas and particularly for our BSc routes. However, this may include ‘A’ levels such as psychology or physical education or other science related studies.

We’ve got a range of new degree programmes on offer, to find out more visit our Higher Education equine course pages.

 

Entrepreneurial Ashley launches first equine faecal egg counting business in Northern Ireland

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BSc (Hons) Equine Science graduate, Ashley Neely, found her niche in the equine market after graduating from Reaseheath by launching the first mobile equine faecal egg counting business in Northern Ireland.Ashley Neely EFEC Nutrition business logo

Ashley’s company, EFEC Nutrition, offers clients on yard faecal egg counts which help diagnose the horses worm burden and advise on how to keep their horses healthy.

Part of running her business Ashley, 22, delivers talks and demonstrations to horse owners and riders on a range of topics including the science of parasitology and general equine nutrition. She’s also had the opportunity to represent EFEC Nutrition at various specialist equestrian shows and events across Northern Ireland, including CAFRE equine technology showcase event

Said Ashley: “Coming to Reaseheath helped me gain knowledge and practical stills to start out in the equine industry. Thanks to support of my lecturer Dawn Gale and her passion for parasitology, I found my gap in Northern Irish market”.

Dawn also runs her own parasitology business alongside lecturing at Reaseheath.

Having begun to build up a good reputation within the industry after only a few months in business, Ashley already has plans to expand!

For more information about EFEC Nutrition visit: https://www.facebook.com/EFECnutrition1/

Mark braves a soaking for a good cause

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Agriculture Course Manager and Advanced Practitioner Mark Walton braved a soaking in freezing temperatures to raise money for an African charity.

Preparing for another soaking mark Walton with students Sam Gibbons, Alex Hutson and Matt Dudley

Preparing for another soaking mark Walton with students Sam Gibbons, Alex Hutson and Matt Dudley

Students and staff queued up to hurl wet sponges and, in some cases, full buckets of water at Mark while he was secured in stocks, with donations reaching £154 in just one hour.

Mark leaves for Uganda in early February as a volunteer with Ugandaid UK, an Altrincham based group which sponsors vocational training and life skills for young people, supports less fortunate families and works with local schools to promote understanding of Ugandan cultures and values .

Mark, accompanied by sons Sam, 26, and Josh, 24, will travel to Jinja, in east Uganda, with a team of volunteers and will spend two weeks building pit latrines and helping to renovate a maternity ward at a hospital.

Mark Walton gets a soaking in the stocks

Mark Walton gets a soaking in the stocks

The money raised by the soaking and by a weekend bag pack at a local supermarket will go towards building materials for the projects.

This will be the third time that Mark has travelled to Uganda to help local communities. He was last in Jinja in 2003. As well as carrying out building work, the volunteers collect and take out useful items such as reading glasses, baby clothes and football kits.

Mark said: “Volunteering with Ugandaid is very rewarding. The communities are so appreciative of everything you do for them. I’m very much looking forward to going out to Uganda again.”

If you’d like to contribute to Ugandaid with either donations or clothes, please email Mark at markw@reaseheath.ac.uk

College collaboration could benefit learners, communities and businesses

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Reaseheath College and North Shropshire College are exploring the potential benefits of a closer collaboration, it was announced this week.

North Shropshire College

North Shropshire College

Both colleges are specialist land-based institutions, are in a strong phase of continuous growth and improvement and share a long history of delivering quality education.  It is felt that, by working together to combine resources, expertise and reputation, the colleges would secure an even wider and better educational experience for current and future learners.  It is also envisaged that such a collaboration would impact positively on the local economies of both counties by providing enhanced links with industry partners and local communities.

The proposal has been put forward in response to the government’s current area based reviews of post 16 education and training, which are central to its commitment to a move towards fewer and often larger colleges which would be more resilient and efficient in the future.

North Shropshire College is currently taking part in an area review involving all colleges in Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. It is to ask the Area Review Board to take into consideration its decision to explore closer collaboration with Reaseheath College, which is just over the border in Cheshire. The structure of such a collaboration would be agreed by the governing bodies of both colleges following further exploration.

North Shropshire College Principal Jackie Doodson said: “The governing body has carried out extensive research and appraised its options rigorously. As a result,  it has concluded that a partnership with Reaseheath College would best secure the long term future of high quality land based provision for Shropshire along with high quality vocational education and training for Oswestry and rural North Shropshire.”

Reaseheath Principal Meredydd David commented: “This fantastic opportunity will allow both colleges to move forward and to respond together to the challenges facing the Further Education sector.  Across the country, all colleges are tasked with ‘doing more with less’. We have a more important role than ever in supporting young people, local businesses and those seeking employment.”

Area reviews of post 16 education are being carried out in all regions by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Education.

Business minded Nina secures job at ITV

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Nina prepared for her degree level study by completing our Access to Higher Education programme before completing her degree in rural events management at Reaseheath. She’s now working in the finance department of the well known television network ITV Studios.

Nina Ashton FdSc Rural Events Management 2014 “I originally thought I would go directly into an events management role after graduating, however an opportunity with ITV’s finance department in Manchester came up, so I decided to go for it. My job, ‘SBA (Self Bill Agreement) Executive’ primarily involves overseeing the payments made to ITV talent and responding to VAT queries. I liaise with artists’ agents and management companies on a basis making sure the correct paperwork is signed and submitted in accordance to their contracts.

“I picked up a host of transferable skills from studying at Reaseheath including time management, computer skills and most importantly learning to deliver on time for deadlines. The finance modules have also proved to be extremely helpful. Another great opportunity was the chance to complete a work placement with a corporate events management company. Treated as one of team I had to think on my feet right from the first shift!

After graduating in 2014 Nina continued in education by topping up her degree to a full BSc (Hons) in International Business and Finance at the University of Derby before securing her job at ITV Studios in May 2015.

“Getting the job at ITV has been incredibly rewarding, it’s such an interesting and varied job role. I love make up as a hobby and had the chance to visit the Emmerdale set in Leeds and worked with the make-up department for a day, which was amazing!

 Nina’s Top tip for students…

If you’re interested in a finance role then obviously the finance modules are vital and it’s so important to put the time and effort into these lessons and the coursework involved for them. My current job role is quite niche as there aren’t many talent payment roles outside of the production industry so as a general rule I’d say it is important to have good customer service skills and prepare well for any interview you get!

Catching up with Elizabeth Murray, NPTC Level 4 Higher Diploma in Floristry, 2013

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Elizabeth Murray Level 4 floristry alumnus editA practising solicitor, Elizabeth combines her daytime career with her passion for floral design.

Introduced to floristry through a Saturday leisure course offered by our Floristry Department, Elizabeth was so inspired that she continued learning on our beginners, intermediate and advanced level NOCN evening classes.

She then progressed onto the professionally recognised City & Guilds Levels 2 and 3 Diplomas and in 2013 achieved her Level 4 Higher Diploma – one of the most advanced qualifications available.

Elizabeth has found that her love of flowers, coupled with the inspiration and training offered by our lecturers, has opened doors to a whole new world.

Now, Elizabeth’s primary floral passion is the art and philosophy of Ikebana – Japanese flower arranging She has  gained her Associate Second Master’s certificate with the Ohara School of Ikebana, and is one of only a handful of English people to achieve this level. Elizabeth teaches Ohara Ikebana in London to students of all nationalities, including several who fly to London from overseas to attend her classes.

Busy Elizabeth is also President of the Manchester Chapter of Ikebana International and Vice-President of the England Chapter of the Ohara School of Ikebana.

“My journey has been amazing,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed every one of my courses at Reaseheath. They have all helped to foster and pull together my interest in floral design.”

Reaseheath agriculture graduates launch calf rearing business

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Chris Webb and Larry Anscombe with their automatic calf feeder

Chris Webb and Larry Anscombe with their automatic calf feeder

Reaseheath agricultural graduates Chris Webb and Larry Anscombe have joined forces to form a thriving calf rearing business. Along with their friend Chris Roberts, the entrepreneurial pair launched their calf unit while they were first year degree students and continued to expand it alongside their studies. They have grown quickly from an initial intake of 30 calves to rearing 130 calves on a farm at Welsh Frankton, Shropshire, and, after just a year and a half, are taking over the tenancy on a second larger unit nearby.

The core of the business is raising beef-cross calves on milk and concentrate. The animals are purchased from farms across Shropshire and Cheshire at two to three weeks of age for resale as weanlings at around three months. On the same system, dairy heifer calves are contract-reared for local dairy farmers. Already the business is attracting return custom, with the partners attributing their success to their niche specialism, to making the most of technology and to their high standards of welfare.

The calves are machine-fed in groups of 25 to 30, with electronic identification collars to allow individual monitoring, ration-control and progressive weaning to minimise stress and post-weaning check. From arrival, calves have ad lib starter, straw and water, and are fed 1kg of CMR daily. This drives early growth during the period of maximum feed efficiency and also primes their metabolism for high starter intakes as they progress onto solid feed.

Larry Anscombe tops up calf pellets

Larry Anscombe tops up calf pellets

By combining traditional good stockmanship with feeder automation and technology for monitoring health and performance, their system is able to deliver healthy calves with excellent growth rates, despite a relatively low workload. Careful monitoring of live weight gain also allows changes and protocols to be continuously tuned, compared and assessed.

Chris Webb came to Reaseheath as a mature student, having previously run technology companies following a maths degree at the University of Cambridge in the 1990s. He doesn’t have a farming background, so studying for a Foundation Degree in Agriculture with Dairy Herd Management helped him build the skills and knowledge to enable him to break into a new industry.

Larry, who comes from a farming family, studied for his Level 3 Extended Diploma in Agriculture at Walford College, Shropshire, completing this as student of the year. He then progressed on to a Foundation Degree in Agriculture at Reaseheath to enable him to aim higher in his chosen career.

Chris Roberts graduated from Harper Adams in 2007 and now works as a partner in his family dairy farm. He was instrumental in a successful conversion to robot-milking in 2011 and subsequent expansion of the herd, so he is no stranger to the benefits technology can bring to a farming business.

Both Reaseheath graduates credit the success of their partnership with the inspired teaching and balance of academic and practical learning which they received while undergraduates.

Chris Webb said: “Reaseheath provided a great learning experience which included a comprehensive, well-taught course which was directly relevant to real-life farming. I enjoyed studying with a friendly, tight-knit group from a mix of backgrounds. The specialist dairy side of the course is unique in the UK as it’s condensed into studying for two days a week, enabling many of us to hold down farming jobs at the same time. Our course manager, Dr Jane Richardson, inspired and encouraged us to pursue our start-up business.”

Larry, who is a member of Whitchurch Young Farmers Club, added: “Rearing calves to three months of age can be a hassle for some farmers as it is an additional task alongside running the mature animals. We have chosen to concentrate on this area and, so far, it has proved very successful.

“Just because we use modern technology doesn’t make us less of a stockman. It allows us to focus more on the health of the calves while having a more flexible lifestyle.”

For further details on buying or selling calves, or for a chat about this start-up business, contact Chris Webb chris@arachsys.com

Plough Sunday raises awareness of farming charity

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Local parishioners and members of the agricultural community came together to celebrate the new farming year at a Plough Sunday service held at Reaseheath College.

Reaseheath Principal Meredydd David, Rev Anne Lawson and Georgina Lamb celebrate Plough Sunday

Reaseheath Principal Meredydd David, Rev Anne Lawson and Georgina Lamb celebrate Plough Sunday

A packed congregation gathered in the Nantwich college’s historic Old Hall to take part in the service and afterwards enjoyed a soup and bread lunch. The event was held in support of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI), a leading agricultural charity which helps farmers in financial difficulty. A total of £454 was raised for the charity, with Reaseheath donating £210 from the sale of lunch and the remainder coming from those who attended.

The service was conducted by Rev Anne Lawson, Vicar of the cross country parishes of Acton, Church Minshull, Worleston and Wettenhall, who is also Chaplain to the Cheshire Agricultural Society. Musical accompaniment was provided by the music group of St Mary’s Church, Acton.

Rev Anne Lawson explained: “The purpose of this service was to encourage communities to gather together to celebrate the traditional start of the farming year and also to raise awareness of RABI. Plough Sunday hasn’t been marked at Reaseheath College, certainly in recent times, and I was delighted that the service was such a success.”

Georgina Lamb, North West Regional Manager for RABI, who attended the service along with other representatives from agricultural institutions said: “This was a great opportunity for us to give thanks for the contribution our farming communities make by providing food for our tables and by caring for the wider landscape.

“It also allowed us to remember that farming families, who are often overlooked, have been particularly hard hit by the recent bad weather and will continue to suffer financially for some time.”