Reaseheath Food and Farming discussion embraces technology

/in , /by

‘Use technology to drive the agricultural industry forward, embrace science, be innovative and never stop learning’. This was the key advice given to Reaseheath College students at a ‘question time’ discussion looking at careers in agriculture and food production.

The event, sponsored by the Food, Drink & Agricultural Group of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and organised by Reaseheath’s Agricultural Development Academy (RADA) and agricultural department, highlighted the opportunities available in the industry including business start-ups, and the attributes employers are looking for when recruiting.

amie-Leigh Douglas and Emma Hancocks chat to agricultural students

amie-Leigh Douglas and Emma Hancocks chat to agricultural students

The panel, made up of Emma Hancocks (Senior Consultant, Promar International and Genus plc), Jamie-Leigh Douglas (Ruminant Technical Support Manager, AB Vista), Joanne Butterill (Agriculture Relationship Manager, NatWest), Ray Brown, (NFU Cheshire County Chairman) and Barbara Hughes (Cheshire Women in Dairy) took part in a lively Q and A session with undergraduates and Level 3 Diploma students studying agriculture at the Nantwich, Cheshire college.

A recurring theme, supported by all panel members, was that technology is vital for the future of the industry and that careers should be geared towards this constantly evolving science. Degrees were deemed to be important, particularly as they opened the door to graduate schemes in associated industries, but ‘soft’ skills such as reliability, work ethic and enthusiasm were seen as equally essential from an employer’s point of view.

The panel were also unified in their view that partnerships and co-operatives could well sustain the agricultural industry in the future, and that diversification into niche businesses could be a good route to success. Efficiency was key to profitability.

Ray Brown, himself a former Reaseheath agriculture student, advised: “Go for what you enjoy …. but you need to strive to be the best to survive”, while Joanne Butterill  emphasised: “Building rapport with the people who are going to support you is key. Your personality is as important as your CV.” She also pointed out that banks were willing to support farming businesses provided they were presented with a clear business plan and cash flow forecast.

Responding to a question from student Matt Brown as to what the NFU was doing to encourage the next generation of farmers, Ray Brown said efforts were being made to deliver more power into the hands of producers and spoke positively about local food procurement centres which would source food from local businesses and encourage knowledge transfer.

Answering a question as to how ‘Cheshire Women in Dairy’ was encouraging females into the industry, Barbara Hughes described the association’s monthly meetings when best practice and ideas were shared. The panel were in agreement that British society was dictating a shift in perception and that it was now far more acceptable for women to be in the industry.

Rhys Edwards, Henry Stanhope, Lizzy Mercer and Harry Hough talk to Ray Brown and Joanne Butterill

Rhys Edwards, Henry Stanhope, Lizzy Mercer and Harry Hough talk to Ray Brown and Joanne Butterill

Asked how she became a senior consultant, Emma Hancocks said that she had found it very beneficial to work her way up ‘from the bottom’, gaining rounded skills, but that the research which formed part of her degree had proved important to her progression.

This view was supported by Jamie-Leigh Douglas, who said that a background in science and technology could lead to excellent progression in the global animal feeds industry.

In conclusion, Ray Brown emphasised: “Although there is an oversupply at the moment, there are seven billion people in the world and this will increase to nine billion in 20 years. The demand for agriculture produce will increase and the next generation needs to look at producing food which is local, fresh and usable.

“The value of technology such as robots and sophisticated machinery isn’t negative. They help you to do your job better by freeing up time. The future of farming is in the hands of the next generation – and we need our young people to continue learning and then sharing their knowledge, best practice and experiences.”

Header image caption: Jamie-Leigh Douglas, Ray Brown, Joanne Butterill, and Emma Hancocks are joined by Reaseheath agriculture students Lizzy Mercer, Harry Hough and George Browne

 

Rising star Robert addresses the Oxford Farming Conference

/in /by

Ambitious young farmer Robert Yardley addressed delegates and had the opportunity to meet Princess Anne at this year’s Oxford Farming Conference (OFC).

Robert, 29, a current Reaseheath Foundation Degree in Agriculture undergraduate, took to the main stage of the prestigious conference to speak of his experiences with the Young DLG – the youth network of the German Agricultural Society.

Robert, who attended the OFC last year as Reaseheath’s representative, was one of three scholar delegates to be awarded an OFC travel scholarship to attend the Young DLG Conference at Agritechnica, Germany, last November. The exchange is part of a collaboration between the OFC and the Young DLG and aims to give young people involved in British and German agriculture a networking and learning opportunity at leading agricultural events.

Robert Yardley meets Princess Anne at the Oxford Farming Conference

Robert Yardley meets Princess Anne at the Oxford Farming Conference

Robert, who is studying at Reaseheath part-time alongside his job as an arable operator, gave a presentation at the Young DLG conference about farming in the UK and more specifically in Cheshire. He was also able to tour Agritechnica, which is a leading international exhibition of agricultural machinery and equipment, go on farm tours organised by the Young DLG and enjoy interacting with German young farmers.

Describing the experience as ‘a great opportunity which will help further my future career’, Robert told the OFC how he had been able to explore farming practices which met current challenges and had been impressed with the way some businesses were structured to make the most of the marketplace.

He told delegates: “I was delighted to attend Agritechnica and to be representing the OFC at such a globally important event.”

Outside the conference, Robert paid tribute to the support he has received from Reaseheath Agriculture and in particular from course manager Dr Jane Richardson, who put him forward to attend the OFC in 2015. Reaseheath’s delegate for 2016 was Chris Kogel, who is also studying for a Foundation Degree in Agriculture but specialising in Dairy Herd Management.

The three day conference had the theme ‘Bold Agriculture’ and featured Defra Secretary Liz Truss and EU Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan among other key speakers.

For more info see www.ofc.org.uk

Since attending the Young DLG conference, Robert has taking every opportunity to learn more about agriculture in other EU countries and is particularly interested in how businesses manage volatile markets.

He is a member of the NFU’s North West Crops Board and as a result was invited by leading agricultural company Syngenta to travel to the Ukraine in December to share his experience of the UK industry with farmers there. Accompanying NW Crop’s Board chairman Olly Harrison, he spent a week building relationships with farmers who are interested in entering into a new grain market strategy with Syngenta.

Robert made a presentation to around 50 farmers at a finance forum on how the grain market works in the UK. He also toured individual farms meeting owners and managers, which allowed him to better understand the Ukraine perspective of grain marketing. The visit was so successful that Syngenta is likely to repeat it early this year.

Robert re-entered farming in his early 20s after experiencing several other industries. He gained valuable experience as a harvesting contractor in Australia and New Zealand before taking his current job on an arable farm in Widnes and aims to be a farm manager.

Brazilian visitors herald strengthening international links

/in /by

Three education ministers from the Brazilian Government visited Reaseheath to see how we work with employers to train the industry force of tomorrow.

The visit was part of a project by the Association of Colleges (AoC) to encourage international links between colleges and in particular to look at successful links between education providers and industry. We were selected as a host college by the AoC thanks to our reputation for offering best practice in employer engagement and because of the high number of our students who gain employment after their course.

The delegates meet up with compatriot Ricardo Farias from Tetrapak Brazil

The delegates meet up with compatriot Ricardo Farias from Tetrapak Brazil

The Brazilian government is building a new education policy and the delegates were particularly interested in seeing how we design vocational education and training programmes at both further education (FE) and higher education (HE) level to meet the skills needs of employers.

Delegates Pedro Carvalho Leitao (Director of the Supervision Department), Luana Medeiros (Director of the Regulation Department) and Israel Gottscalk (Regulatory Policy Department) toured our food centre and food engineering and horticulture departments with Assistant Dean of HE Mark Harris and AoC International Manager Ayesha Williams.

During their tour of our food processing halls, our visitors enjoyed a chance encounter with fellow compatriot Ricardo Farias, a commissioning engineer for Tetrapak Brazil, who was coincidentally studying with us on a bespoke international training programme for Tetrapak.

After their visit, Luana said: “Reaseheath is a very good example of successful interaction between a college and the industries which are going to be employing its students. The facilities here are state of the art and equal or better than those you see in industry.”

  • Our links with Brazil will be strengthened later this month with the arrival of around six Brazilian students who will be studying for ten weeks on existing food or countryside courses. Their visit is part of the AoC’s ‘Skills without Borders’ pilot programme which encourages vocational students at FE and HE level from Brazil to study and experience college life in Britain.

Header image: Our Brazilian delegates, joined by Mark Harris and Ayesha Williams, enjoy a presentation in the food production hall from Nick Blakemore 

Reaseheath arborist helps stricken communities in the Philippines

/in /by

Reaseheath College arboriculture assessor and lecturer Jonathan ‘Jono’ Finlow is in the Philippines answering an emergency call for help from rural communities hit by a typhoon.

Jono Finlow teaching Reaseheath’s arboriculture students

Arborist and DART trustee Jono Finlow

Jono and fellow members of DART International UK (Disaster Arborist Response Team) are currently part of a global relief effort in Northern Samar, which was hit by Typhoon Melor in December.

The typhoon made its landfall on the largely rural and impoverished region before going on to strike several other islands across the Central Philippines, which has been declared a ‘state of national calamity’.  Although over three quarters of a million people were safely evacuated, 41 people died and many more are missing or injured.  Tens of thousands of homes and public properties have been destroyed and over 280,000 people are sheltering in evacuation centres.

After receiving a formal request for assistance from the Mayor of San Jose, a coastal town in Northern Samar, a DART team of Jono, Team Leader Gary Bailey, Team Medic James Enticknap-Green and Graham Beer left for the Philippines on New Year’s Eve. They are spending two weeks on the stricken island clearing typhoon debris to allow safe access for other relief teams and treating damaged and high risk trees.

If appropriate, and with the approval of local community leaders, they are also training local volunteers in chainsaw handling and tree clearance and may donate machinery and safety equipment to those they have trained.

Jono, who assesses Reaseheath apprentices and teaches on our Level 3 Diploma in Forestry and Arboriculture, also runs The Good Tree Company and is a DART trustee.  His disaster relief work is supported by our students and staff, who raise funds for the charity. For the latest effort, Reaseheath trained arborist Twm-Tegid Brunton, a member of the North West Welsh Opera Choir, sang Christmas carols from the top of a 100 foot high redwood tree on campus.

Twm is well on his way to raising £1,000 for DART. You can still donate at www.justgiving.com/Twm-Brunton/

 

Header image caption: Jono Finlow teaching Reaseheath’s arboriculture students

 

Twm hits the high notes

/in , /by

Reaseheath College trained arborist Twm-Tegid Brunton hit the high notes by singing Christmas carols from the top of a 100ft high redwood tree.

Wearing a fairy skirt over his safety harness Twm, a member of the North West Welsh Opera Choir, sang three carols in English and Welsh from his lofty perch to an audience below on the Nantwich campus.

Twm Brunton completes his singing fairy mission

Twm Brunton completes his singing fairy mission

He was supported by former fellow students Rob Hassall and George Gresty. All three completed their Level 3 Diploma in Forestry and Arboriculture at Reaseheath in the summer and now work in the industry.

Twm is running his own forestry and arboriculture service while continuing to gain further engineering skills at Reaseheath. Rob is a self-employed tree climber while George works for a large tree surgery firm.

Jono Finlow, Alan Mottram, Twm Brunton, George Gresty, and Rob Hassall

Jono Finlow joined by Alan Mottram, Twm Brunton, George Gresty, and Rob Hassall

The three friends held their high-rise carol concert to raise funds for the Disaster Arborist Response Team (DART), which sends teams of qualified and experienced tree surgeons to countries that have been hit by natural disasters such as earthquakes. Working alongside other humanitarian relief, DART teams clear trees and debris to ensure emergency teams have safe access.

DART trustee Jonathan Finlow, who is an assessor at Reaseheath and also teaches on the Level 3 Diploma in Forestry and Arboriculture, supported the fund raising effort alongside course manager Alan Mottram.

Jonathan said: “This was a fantastic effort by Twm and his support team, and by all the staff and students who helped and donated to our charity.

“DART is still only 18 months old but we have already achieved so much. We have minimal overheads and great sponsors for most of our kit, so all donations go directly to helping deploy a team to be of use in a disaster zone. As well as raising funds, we had the bonus of enjoying some unusually positioned festive songs.”

Twm has already raised over £500 towards his target of £1,000 for DART. You can still donate to show your support at https://www.justgiving.com/Twm-Brunton/

Reaseheath public services students ‘make a difference’ at Christmas

/in /by

When tasked to ‘make a difference’, students on Reaseheath College’s Level 3 Diploma in Public Services course chose to bring joy to children whose illnesses will keep them in hospital over Christmas.

They focussed on helping young patients at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, one of the country’s leading specialist hospitals, and donated well over £300 worth of Christmas presents.

A committee, elected by course members, organised the whole activity including contacting the hospital, communicating with relevant departments, advertising their campaign, collecting donations and adding presents themselves. They then organised a visit to the hospital to deliver the gifts.

Said Course Manager Liam Salt: “I’m extremely proud of all the students and how much they achieved with minimal input from me or other lecturers. They are a credit to their course, to the public services department and to Reaseheath College.

“The Alder Hey staff were genuinely grateful and couldn’t thank the students enough.”

Festive fun at Reaseheath’s Christmas horse show

/in /by

Neigh bells rang out at Reaseheath College’s Equestrian Centre, Nantwich, when Level 3 Extended Diploma in Horse Management students organised a Christmas themed horse show.

The students ran a fun schedule which included showjumping, equitation and best turned out classes and a festive fancy dress competition hotly contested by students and their horses. There was also a dog agility class.

The event was much enjoyed by fellow students and spectators from other departments.

All entry fees and money raised from raffles and cake sales will go to Reaseheath’s RAG charity The British Heart Foundation and to the Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Centre.

The students have to organise several events  as part of their events management module and will run another show next Easter.

Top picture caption: Student organisers Abi Ellard, Emma Clarke, Charlotte Taylor and Emily Walker are joined by supporters Tilly Herridge and Sarah Renton, who rides ‘Ryan’

Christmas Fair brings festive spirit to Reaseheath

/in , /by

A group of events management students got into the festive spirit by hosting their first Christmas Fair at Reaseheath.

Seven first year students on our Level 3 Events Management course organised the Christmas Fair to raise money for this year’s nominated charity, British Heart Foundation.

The students held the Christmas Fair in the historic Reaseheath Hall with around 15 stalls spread across the building.  Stall holders sold various festive treats and stocking fillers including chocolate, wooden toys, cupcakes and bird boxes.  Visitors also had the opportunity to meet Santa and Mrs Claus in a Christmas Grotto and enjoyed refreshments generously donated by our food and catering departments

Andy Boyle, a professional photographer and former Reaseheath student kindly volunteered his time and provided a novelty photo booth for the day, adding to the festivities. Andy studied agriculture at Reaseheath in the 1970s and is also a full time Dairy Herd Manager alongside running his photography business ‘Andy Boyle Photography’.

Students raised over £400 for British Heart Foundation, which has increased our current RAG total to £3,200.

Dressage dynasty holds masterclass at Reaseheath College

/in , , /by

Riding and training enthusiasts had the privilege of watching the world’s most prolific dressage dynasty in action when the Eilberg family gave a masterclass at Reaseheath College’s Equestrian Centre in Cheshire.

A sell out audience watched internationally respected coach Ferdi Eilberg, son Michael, daughter Maria and protégé Greg Sims demonstrate training methods from just backed youngster to grand prix level.

Ferdi is British Dressage’s World Class Director of Coaching and oversees the training schedules of Britain’s top dressage riders as they prepare for major championships. He is also dressage trainer to Ireland’s eventing team and holds an honorary fellowship from the British Horse Society for his services to equestrianism.

Michael enjoyed an early career as a show jumper and has continued to compete at the highest level since changing disciplines. He was a member of the silver medal winning teams at both the World Equestrian Games and at the 2015 European Dressage Championships, and of the bronze medal winning team at the 2013 European Dressage Championships.

Maria is a previous British National Dressage Championships winner and was a member of the silver medal winning team at the 2009 European Dressage Championships.

With the family was Greg Sims, current British Dressage ‘Young Professionals Award’ holder, who completed his apprenticeship with the Eilbergs and is now a permanent member of staff. Greg, who specialises in starting off the young horses, partnered a four year-old gelding, ‘Scirocco’, to enable Ferdi to advise on early training, in particular the importance of allowing young horses time to adjust their balance to the weight of the rider.

Maria, who partnered advanced medium ride ‘T J Benjamin’, showed training progressing through lateral work to collection while Michael, who rode his small tour horse ‘Sa Coeur’ and British team horse ‘Marakov’, demonstrated training for movements up to piaffe and passage.

Members of the audience were so keen to question Ferdi and his team that they were still in Reaseheath’s indoor arena at 11pm!

Reaseheath Equine Event Co-ordinator Heather Cooper said: “Our supporters were delighted to have the chance to watch riders and trainers of such calibre here in Cheshire, and we have since received fantastic feedback.”

Coming up in early 2016: Eventing masterclasses by Oliver Townend and Lucinda Fredericks Check out our dates at www.reaseheath.ac.uk/reaseheath-equestrian-centre 

Reaseheath flies high at AoC Sport regional tournaments

/in /by

Two talented members of Reaseheath College’s trampolining squad are to represent the north west region at next year’s Association of Colleges (AoC) Sport National Championships.

Georgia Thomasson, 16, and Rosie Lucas, 17, who are both studying for their Level 3 Diploma in Sport Performance at the Nantwich college, took first and fourth place respectively in an AoC Sport regional qualifier for trampolining, held in Lancashire.

Eight members of Reaseheath’s trampolining team took part in the tournament. All put in strong performances and enjoyed their first experience of inter college competition. Based on their outstanding performances, Georgia and Rosie were selected for the north west trampolining squad and will compete at the AoC Sport National Championships, to be held in Tyne and Wear in April 2016.

The national championships is one of the largest annual sporting events in England, involving over 1.800 colleges. AoC Sport was formed to encourage Further Education students between the ages of 16 and 19 to participate in sport and physical activity as part of their college experience. This is the first time that Reaseheath students have qualified.

Reaseheath Sports Lecturer and Trampolining Coach Louise Finney said: “All of the team acted as great ambassadors for the college at the regional tournament, as not only did they perform well but they also supported each other and fellow competitors. They were also a wonderful help to the event organisers by assisting during the competition.

“I’d like to say a huge ‘well done’ to all the girls, and ‘best of luck’ to Georgia and Rosie at the national championships.”

Reaseheath students have enjoyed further successes at north west regional tournaments, although no others have qualified for the championships. The college’s male football team reached the semi-finals of the 7-a-side competition in Stockport against some very good college teams, while Luke Gideon came fourth at the regional tennis tournament in Chorley  against very strong opposition.

Reaseheath College Sport Maker Sarah Ruff said: “We are delighted at our students’ success at the regional tournaments and that we will have two students representing the north west at the national championships.”

Top caption: Rosie Lucas and Georgia Thomasson (centre) are flanked by fellow members of Reaseheath’s successful trampolining squad (on left) Gemma Hope, Sophia Bibby and Rhodd-alaw Parry (on right) Molly Ramsden, Lily Robertson and Ellie James