Reaseheath celebrates success at the Nantwich Show

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Reaseheath College’s visitor friendly exhibition was judged runner-up best professional trade stand at the Nantwich Show after impressing judges with the enthusiasm of its staff, the diversity of its activities and the effort it made to involve show visitors.

The Nantwich college’s stand encouraged families to take part in a diverse range of activities including riding a mechanical horse, operating a digger and meeting a calf.

Judge David Blackhurst, who presented the award, said: “Reaseheath’s stand was the very diverse. Its mix of livestock, machinery and horticulture really caught the eye.

Winning line-up in the cattle marquee: Lecturer Julie Baskerville and agriculture students Jess Pearce, Lydia Diamond, Joe Riley and Siobhan Rutter with Reaseheath Holstein heifers.

Winning line-up in the cattle marquee: Lecturer Julie Baskerville and agriculture students Jess Pearce, Lydia Diamond, Joe Riley and Siobhan Rutter with Reaseheath Holstein heifers.

“But more importantly it was very interactive and offered visitors a lot to do. There was a good range of activities, supported by attentive staff. The Nantwich Show is all about families and it was obvious that visitors were spending a lot of time on the Reaseheath stand.”

Deputy Marketing Manager Faye Thomson-Butt said: “We were delighted at the success of our stand. It’s always a great pleasure to support Nantwich Show, as it contributes so much to the local and farming community.”

Agriculture students and staff, who prepared and showed four heifers from the Reaseheath Holstein herd, were also celebrating after taking first prize for the best cattle line in the cattle marquee along with a 2nd, two 4ths a 6th and 7th in the handler and breed classes.

Header image caption: Judge David Blackhurst and Show Vice President Jerry Purcell hand over the trade stand award to Faye Thomson-Butt and Marketing Administrator Sophie Bell

Access agreement decisions for 2016-17: universities set themselves stretching new targets

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Universities and college have set themselves challenging new targets to make further and faster progress on fair access to higher education. The new targets, agreed with the Office for Fair Access (OFFA), form part of the 183 access agreements approved today, and will help meet a Government ambition to double the rate of students from disadvantaged background entering higher education.

Professor Les Ebdon, Director of Fair Access to Higher Education, said:

“The access agreements I have approved toady show that universities and colleges are setting stretching and ambitious targets to attract students from disadvantaged areas and then support them through their studies”.

“I am enormously heartened to see the significant level of ambition in this set of access agreements. By making progress towards their own fair access challenges, universities and colleges will contribute to the Government’s national fair access goals. The Prime Minister and Minister for Universities have set a goal to double the rates of students from disadvantaged backgrounds by 2020, and these agreements send a clear message that universities are ready to do the hard work to make this target a reality.

“The work and ambition univerisites and colleges have committed to today will transform lives. The outreach work universities have planned will open the door to higher education for people who might otherwise have thought it was not for them. The people that universities work with now will go on to be the doctors, business leaders and engineers of the future”.

Rachel Ellis-Jones, Dean of Higher Education at Reaseheath College, said:

“The access agreement for 2016-17 approved by OFFA shows the continued commitment by Reaseheath College to promote higher education to students from disadvantaged areas and groups. This access agreement demonstrates a renewed focus on supporting students while they are with us with an additional financial support package aimed to ensure progression and success”.

Reaseheath garden catches the eye at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park

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Pupils from The Dingle Primary School, Haslington, enjoyed the limelight when they appeared on Reaseheath College’s eye catching garden at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park.

Thomas Atkinson, six, his seven year-old sister Beau, Poppy Beeson, eight, and seven year-old Ruby Deaville, who were dressed as ‘bug hunters’, posed on the garden with a giant aphid for photographers on press day.

The flower show, which showcases the best of British gardening talent, was enjoyed by 80,000 visitors before closing on Sunday (July 26). Reaseheath College, in Nantwich, a regular medal winner in previous years, chose this year to put on an educative feature so was not judged in the show garden category.

Beau Atkinson, Ruby Deaville, Poppy Beeson and Thomas Atkinson

Beau Atkinson, Poppy Beeson, Ruby Deaville and Thomas Atkinson from The Dingle Primary School with Reaseheath College’s giant aphid

In line with the RHS’s aim to inspire the younger generation into careers involving horticultural science and viable food production, the garden – called ‘The Leaf’, took visitors on an exploration through the structural layers of a leaf and showed how the plant might try to avoid predators.

The garden was sponsored by Pochin Construction, who are the contractors on Reaseheath’s £8.5 million national centre for horticulture, sustainability and environmental management which is currently being built. The giant aphid was manufactured by Nantwich firm Harbrook Engineering.

The garden itself was designed and built by Foundation Degree in Garden and Landscape Design undergraduates Matthew Kent, Nigel Barber and Sam Lawton. Matt said: “We wanted to step outside the box and design something which was young and interesting. We really enjoyed the reaction of visitors when they were viewing the garden.”

RHS Robyn Longden

Floristry student Robyn Longden shows off the RHS Tatton Park Floristry College of the Year award

Reaseheath floristry students were also celebrating after winning the RHS Tatton Park Floristry College of the Year Competition for the second year running.

The prestigious competition is open to UK based floristry colleges and training providers and showcases the talent of students.

Reaseheath’s victorious team were Level 3 Diploma in Floristry students Carol Edgington, Robyn Longden and Rachel Collinson-Fletcher, who were supported by Head of Floristry Sue Poole.

The students, who were commended by Chairman of Judges Ian Lloyd for their contemporary design skills and for the impeccable condition of their flowers and foliage, have now qualified for the national finals at the Chelsea Flower Show 2016. Reaseheath’s student team took the ‘runner-up’ title at Chelsea this year.

The challenge at Tatton was to create four designs which represented ‘Musical Through Time’. Reaseheath’s florists chose ‘My Fair Lady’ as their theme and created a hat, a wired bouquet, a buffet table arrangement and an arrangement for the entrance of the theatre.

As well as winning the college competition they also won a silver gilt medal for their stand.

Ian Lloyd, who is a senior RHS floristry judge, said: “The stand was immaculate and the finish and presentation were excellent. The whole exhibit was a real credit to Reaseheath’s students and all the judges were extremely impressed.”

Three Reaseheath horticulture students also contested the WorldSkills UK Landscape Gardening semi finals at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park. Chris Shore, 20, who has just completed his Level 3 Extended Diploma in Horticulture, qualified for the national finals, to be held at The Skills Show in November.

Reaseheath was also one of partners on the Cheshire’s Gardens of Distinction exhibit and ran a series of demonstrations in the Discover and Grow section.

Second win for Reaseheath florists at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park

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Reaseheath floristry students were celebrating after winning the RHS Tatton Park Floristry College of the Year Competition for the second year running.

The prestigious competition, which was launched in 2014, is open to UK based floristry colleges and training providers and showcases the talent of students.

RHS Robyn LongdenReaseheath’s victorious team were Level 3 Diploma in Floristry students Carol Edgington, 45, from Kidsgrove, Robyn Longden, 19, from Stockport and Rachel Collinson-Fletcher, 26, from Shawbury, Shropshire. They were supported by Head of Floristry Sue Poole.

The students, who were commended by Chairman of Judges Ian Lloyd for their contemporary design skills and for the impeccable condition of their flowers, foliage and materials, have now qualified for the national finals at the Chelsea Flower Show 2016. Reaseheath’s student team took the ‘runner-up’ title at Chelsea this year.

RHS Carol EdingtonThe challenge at Tatton was to create four designs which represented ‘Musical Through Time’.  Reaseheath’s florists chose ‘My Fair Lady’ as their theme and created a hat, a wired bouquet, a buffet table arrangement and an arrangement for the entrance of the theatre.

As well as winning the college competition they also won a silver gilt medal for their stand.

My fair lady displayIan Lloyd, who is a senior RHS floristry judge, said: “The stand was immaculate and the finish and presentation were excellent. The whole exhibit was a real credit to Reaseheath’s students and all the judges were extremely impressed.”

Visit our winning student design in the Floral Design Studio at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park, open until Sunday July 27.

For more about our floristry courses visit www.reaseheath.ac.uk/floristry

 

 

 

 

Reaseheath supports Crewe Alex fitness programme

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Crewe Alexandra Football Club is continuing to use cutting edge sports science equipment at Reaseheath College in Nantwich to help players gain peak fitness.

All first team players have recently visited Reaseheath’s campus for maximal fitness testing in the college’s sports science laboratory. As well as using a medical treadmill, the elite athletes went through field based lactate threshold tests in the laboratory and used top-of-the-range equipment in the campus gym for their warm-up and cool down routines.  The procedure was repeated the following day with the Under 21 and Under 18 squads.

The data will be used by Andy Franks, Head of Sports Science and Conditioning at Crewe Alex, to check the base level of fitness of each player and to set personalised training programmes. The squads will return to check their progress a further three times in the next twelve months. The data collection was carried out by Reaseheath Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sport Performance students, many of whom will progress to careers in coaching or sport fitness.

Reaseheath’s gym was refurbished to professional standard last year and Crewe Alex FC was one of the first to use the sports science laboratory to help train its athletes. The results were so positive that the club has decided to increase its number of visits to the college gym over the coming season.

Andy Franks said: “By using Reaseheath’s sophisticated testing equipment, we have been able to set accurate training zones for our pre-season training programmes, individualised for each player.  We found this was very helpful in getting the teams to maximum fitness last season and plan to increase our use of the sports lab this year.”

Reaseheath Sport Performance Course Manager Richard Brooke said: “This was a fantastic opportunity for our students to practise and develop their skills by working with local, talented, professional athletes. Our students learn sports science and coaching techniques as part of their course and this has been a chance for them to see how critical these skills are in the industry they plan to join. We have also been delighted to support Crewe Alex.”

Reaseheath College and Crewe Alex FC have a long established partnership. Reaseheath delivers the academic training to Crewe Alex Academy apprentices, with scholars achieving the best grades in the country. This year graduating apprentice and Crewe Alex first team striker George Cooper was crowned ‘Apprentice of the Year’ in a national competition run by the League Football Education.

In return, many of Reaseheath’s sports performance students complete work experience with Crewe Alex, gaining an insight into the possibilities of career progression within the football industry.

In September Reaseheath is launching Ladies’ and Men’s Football Academies in partnership with Crewe Alex which will enable talented young footballers to enhance their football skills while studying for a nationally recognised sport qualification.

For further details on Reaseheath’s sports courses and academies see www.reaseheath.ac.uk/sport-performance

Travel beckons for ambitious dairy farmers

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Two ambitious young dairy farmers are looking forward to global travel thanks to a scholarship run by Reaseheath College and the Cheshire Agricultural Society.

Neil Roberts and Neil Quinlan were presented with John Platt Travel Scholarships, worth £2,000, during the Presidents Lunch at the Cheshire Show.

Neil Roberts, a 30 year-old dairy farmers and herd manager for Townhouse Holsteins at Park Hall Farm, Clotton near Tarporley, will use his scholarship to learn about progressive cow housing systems on a ‘Cow Signals’ course in Holland and will continue his studies at the ‘Alta-U’ course in Wisconsin, USA. He will follow this with a week viewing some of the world’s best dairy facilities in North America.

Neil Quinlan, 35, who helps to manage the dairy herd and youngstock at Polar Hall, Tattenhall, for Neil and Nigel Matthews, plans to visit large and small scale dairy farms in the USA to identify successful strategies in heifer rearing. He will also attend a ‘Calf Signals’ course and visit heifer rearing units in the UK so he can compare techniques.

Both participants will share their finding with fellow farmers, Young Farmers Clubs and agricultural students as part of their award.

Neil Roberts and Neil Quinlan both studied agriculture at Reaseheath College in Nantwich and have continued to expand their knowledge while progressing into responsible roles within the dairy industry.

Neil Roberts has been Herd Manager at Park Hall Farm for 11 years and helps to run the 12,000 kg herd of 500 pedigree Holsteins on a high yield system milking three times daily. The business also has 450 heifer replacements on the farm.

The ‘Cow Signals’ course he will attend has been set up by Joep Dreissen an influential Dutch vet, and will focus on farm set up, building design and other factors which can improve welfare and profit. After the week long course Neil will become a qualified ‘Cow Signals’ master trainer.

He said: “this travel scholarship will help me to maximise cow welfare both at my own farm and on other throughout Cheshire. It will enable me to attend a course where I’ll be encouraged to think ‘outside the box’ when it comes to housing. Often small details can make cows life easier and live longer”.

Neil Quinlan is particularly interested in heifer rearing and plans to identify successful strategies used in the USA, particularly methods of colostrum management and techniques to support calves during their first two weeks of life. He also wants to investigate how weight gains are maximised and growth targets are achieves, from weaning to bulling age.

A ‘Tesco Future Farmer’ last year, Neil runs the youngstock unit with over 100 replacement heifers at Poplar Hall as well as helping to manage the dairy herd of 305 Holstein cows.

He said: “I believe we in the UK could do a great deal more to maximise efficiencies and income within the youngstock industry. I am looking forward to seeing as much as possible and sharing the knowledge that I have gained with other farmers.

“I would like to thank Reaseheath College and the Cheshire Agricultural Society for giving me the opportunity to further my knowledge and interests.”

The John Platt scholarship is in memory of John Platt, a former Chair of Reaseheath Governors and former Chairman, President and Honorary Life Warden of the Cheshire Agricultural Society.

Presenting the awards, Cheshire Show Director Keith Thomas said that both young farmers had been outstanding candidates and had shown the drive, ambition and desire to seek out new information and technology which would benefit the Cheshire farming community.

The John Platt Scholarship is awarded annually and is open to young people from a rural background who live or work in Cheshire. Applications are being taken for next year.

Find out more about The John Platt Travel Scholarship here or email davek@reaseheath.ac.uk

Caption: Neil Quinlan and Neil Roberts receive their John Platt Travel Scholarships from Keith Thomas and Reaseheath Governor and selection committee member Richard Ratcliffe. 

Reaseheath conservationists inspired by gorilla expert

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Influential conservationist Ian Redmond OBE gave an inspirational talk to student members of Reaseheath College’s Conservation Society and members of the public when he visited the College last week.

Best known for his work studying the mountain gorillas of Rwanda with zoologist Dian Fossey, who inspired the film ‘Gorillas in the Mist’, Ian has been involved with more than 50 television wildlife documentaries and is founder and chairman of Ape Alliance, an international coalition of organisations and individuals working for the conservation and welfare of apes.

The tropical field biologist, whose career spans more than 30 years, is also renowned for his research studies of elephants in both Africa and Asia. During his lecture, Ian described his experiences with apes and other species and also discussed his concerns about climate change.

He also spent time answering questions from students studying for wildlife related degrees and diplomas, many of whom have already or will go on to complete field research with exotic species.

Ian Redmond meets Reaseheath’s ring tailed lemurs with Zoo Management and Wildlife Conservation undergraduates Ashleigh Ball, Daniel Collin, Harley Merrigan, Charlotte Daniels, Jack Wootton and James Wylor-Owen and Zoo Keeper Alan Woodward

Ian Redmond meets Reaseheath’s ring tailed lemurs with Zoo Management and Wildlife Conservation undergraduates Ashleigh Ball, Daniel Collin, Harley Merrigan, Charlotte Daniels, Jack Wootton and James Wylor-Owen and Zoo Keeper Alan Woodward

BSc Wildlife Conservation and Ecology undergraduate James Wylor-Owen, who is looking for a research placement abroad, said: “This has been a fantastic opportunity to meet a conservation role model with an incredible background in in-situ research, particularly in human and wildlife conflict.”

Ian, who toured Reaseheath’s zoo before his talk, commented: “This has been a revelation to me. Reaseheath has magnificent facilities and not only provides an excellent home for a range of species found in national zoo collections, but is using them to train the biologists of the future.

“I have been impressed with the enthusiasm and evident knowledge of the students and their wish to make a difference to habitat and species conservation.”

The Reaseheath Conservation Society has over 100 student members who are passionate about conserving animals and the natural world. The group enjoy educational visits and lectures, work with communities on environmental projects and hold public events to raise funds for animal charities. Ian Redmond’s talk raised nearly £800 for Gorilla Conservation.

Like Reaseheath Conservation Society on Facebook and follow them on Twitter to find out more about the work of society.

Jack wins scholarship to explore fish behaviour

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Congratulations to Jack Wootton, a third year undergraduate on our BSc Wildlife Conservation and Ecology Degree.

Jack  has been awarded a two month £1600 scholarship from the Universities Federation For Animal Welfare (UFAW)  to explore the behavioural responses of fish to reflective stimuli in their tanks. This will take place over the summer using fantailed guppies and will be based at the University of Chester.

Jack has always been passionate about fish welfare. He completed a Diploma in Animal Management at Reaseheath  in 2010 and then spent two years working in the field in Borneo and in the industry near his home in Stockport.

He followed this by completing his Foundation Degree in Animal Behaviour and Welfare at Reaseheath, followed by his current one year top-up which will hopefully lead to him achieving his BSc in Wildlife Conservation and Ecology. In addition to his studies Jack gained highly relevant experience working part-time as a zoo keeper at our Animal Centre, helping to look after our fish department.

Jack, who is particularly keen to improve the living conditions of fish in aquaria, applied for his scholarship independently while working for his degree.

He said:  “I was really surprised but delighted when my project proposal was chosen. I am really looking forward to working with UFAW. Reaseheath has 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.”

Reaseheath trained A-Plant engineer carries off top awards

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Talented Reaseheath trained engineer Paige Carter has carried off the top awards in a competition aimed at finding the nation’s best construction plant apprentices.

The 18 year-old became the first female apprentice to win the prestigious title of ‘Apprentice of the Year’ at the Construction Plant-hire Association’s (CPA) Stars of  the Future Awards.  The competition finals were held at PLANTWORX, a bi-annual showcase event for the UK’s construction industry, held this year in Leicestershire.

Paige had earlier been awarded ‘Level 2 Apprentice of the Year’ at the event and went head to head with other winners to clinch the national title. Nearly 600 apprentices in the construction plant trade were eligible for the competition.

Paige Carter with trophies at Plantworx

Paige celebrates her awards at PLANTWORX

She received her awards, including a fully-equipped Snap-on tool box, from Richard Noble OBE, a World Land Speed record holder and the pioneer of the Bloodhound Super Sonic Car.

Paige is a trainee construction plant apprentice with A-Plant and is based in Stockton-on-Tees. She specialises in powered access plant such as scissor lifts and cherry pickers and aims to progress into management after gaining more workshop experience.

She has just completed her Level 2 apprenticeship at Reaseheath through block release training and will progress onto her Level 3 apprenticeship in the next academic year.

Paige, who enjoyed maths and science at school, has gone on to receive technical training in mechanical, electrical and hydraulics systems and in welding both at college and in the workplace.  She said: “I think engineering is a great career which I would really recommend to girls.”

Reaseheath Course Manager Simon Keen commented: “Paige is a very deserving winner who thoroughly deserves the recognition. We put her forward for this year’s competition because she has outstanding practical and theory skills, supported by very positive feedback from her employer. She is definitely future management material who will continue to raise the bar for all apprentices.

A-Plant’s Head of Training Bob Harper said: “We are absolutely delighted that Paige has won this national award in recognition of her ability and her total commitment to learning and her work. The Stars of the Future scheme not only rewards outstanding apprentices who will provide the future foundations of the construction plant hire industry, but also recognises those with the potential to become its leaders. We are very proud of Paige for winning the regional and national Level 2 award.”

Reaseheath Engineering is one of the UK leaders in construction plant training. We currently have 172 apprentices and this year saw a record intake of over 120 first year apprentices. We are the preferred trainer for blue chip companies including A-Plant, JCB, Clee Hill Plant, Morgan Plant Hire and J.S. Berry.

We were also successful in the CPA ‘Stars of the Future’ awards in 2013, when James Scott from A-Plant took the title of ‘Best Level 3 Construction Plant Apprentice’ and Level 2 apprentice Adam Hughes from Gunn JCB was a regional winner.

Reaseheath College welcomes royal visitor at Cheshire Show

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Reaseheath College gave Sophie, Countess of Wessex, a right royal welcome when she visited the college’s award winning stand at the Cheshire Show earlier this week (June 23 and 24)

Her Royal Highness, who is Cheshire Show President, spent 20 minutes chatting to staff and students and inspecting the stand’s activities. She particularly admired Reaseheath’s mechanical horse and a pizza oven built by construction students and was keen to find out more about apprenticeships.

Stand organiser Stephanie Owen said: “The Countess seemed to be very knowledgeable and supportive of landbased industries and asked a lot of pertinent questions about our work with rural businesses. She seemed very natural and was obviously enjoying carrying out her duties at the show.”

The Nantwich college’s visitor friendly stand had earlier taken the top award in the education section, with judge Marie Birkenhead paying tribute to the range of activities on offer and the enthusiastic and well informed staff.

Mrs Birkenhead said: “Reaseheath College’s stand was far and away the best exhibit in its section and really met the criteria, which is to educate and inform visitors about the countryside. We were impressed with the attractive display offering activities for all ages, but what was most outstanding was the wonderful welcome which all visitors received when they went on the stand.”

Top crowd puller on the stand was a Caterpillar digger which gave visitors the chance to operate the controls. Apart from riding the mechanical horse, families were able to have a go on a climbing wall and try milking a model cow. Other activities, under the banner ‘Do Something Different’, included a display of the latest horticultural technology and a chance to make floral buttonholes and beaded dragonflies. Animals from the college’s zoo and a scarecrow from this summer’s ‘Superhero’ maize maze were also on display.

Reaseheath agriculture students took part in breed showing and young handler classes in the cattle show ring with heifers and a cow in milk from the Reaseheath Holstein dairy herd. The student team were awarded first place in the ‘tidy lines’ competition.

Deputy Marketing Manager Faye Thomson-Butt said: “This has been a fantastic opportunity for us to demonstrate the range of vocational courses we offer. We are very proud of the success of our students and coming to the Cheshire Show each year gives us a great platform to show the public what we can do.”

Caption: Sophie, Countess of Wessex, joins Stephanie Owen and agricultural lecturer Mark Walton on Reaseheath College’s stand at the Cheshire Show.