Celebration of achievement for special schools

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Pupils from special schools marked the completion of their course with a celebration of achievement this week.

Over 30 young people received Certificates of Attendance after completing a 30 week programme made up of ten week sessions on horticulture, animal care and horse care.

The vocational taster programme is run by our Pre-entry Department and taken up by schools for pupils with special educational needs throughout the region. As well as learning practical skills, the pupils are introduced to a more independent life at college, with some enjoying their experience so much that they choose to join our pre-entry programme.

Thumbs up from Greenbank School, Northwich

Thumbs up from Greenbank School, Northwich

Our pictures show sixth formers from Greenbank School, Northwich, and Springfield School, Crewe, relaxing during some well earned down-time after receiving their awards. Pupils from West Kirby Residential School also attended.

Course Manager Lisa Alkins, who with our pre-entry team organised the celebration along with music and food, said: “Our programme offers pupils the opportunity to take part in hands-on activities out of the class room. They also gain a lot by participating in college life as far as they are able. It’s hugely rewarding to see how much the pupils benefit and grow simply by being in the college environment.”

Reaseheath students grow their own success

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Reaseheath College horticultural students were feeling chipper after taking part in a First Early Potato Show, held at the Nantwich college on Saturday.

Thirty Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Level 2 Diploma students demonstrated their skills at growing the world’s favourite root vegetable – and were rewarded with praise from one of the county’s top vegetable judges.

The students, who attend college one day a week, have been learning horticultural techniques such as how to successfully sow and plant vegetables and how to prepare them for exhibition. Course Manager Anne Harrison hopes that their new knowledge will encourage the students to support the fruit and vegetable shows run within their local communities.

Over 20 varieties of first early potatoes, grown on plots at the college, were on show. Best in Show went to Luise Crawford from Wincham near Northwich, who also won the Friday group section with her ‘Casablanca’ potatoes. Luise has launched a new career as a self employed gardener following redundancy.

Winner of the Monday group section was Susan De Kretser of Goostrey, Holmes Chapel, who is also following a new career as a horticulturist. Second and third places went to Racheal Nowakowski and Jane Loxley while Andrew Rose and Richard Massey were runners up in the Friday group.

•RHS students with their exhibits at Reaseheath’s First Early Potato competition

RHS students with their exhibits at Reaseheath’s First Early Potato competition

The competition was judged by Derek Jones of Malpas, a well known vegetable exhibitor, judge, horticulturist and historian. He explained: “I was looking for four potatoes which were equally matched in shape, size and colour. They had to be of good quality, of uniform shape, well prepared and typical of the variety.

“The entries showed a great deal of care and attention to detail, particularly as the growing conditions have been so difficult this season.”
Reaseheath’s First Early Potato Show was held for the first time last year and was so successful that it is likely to be an annual event.

Around 100 part-time students gain RHS qualifications at Reaseheath each year. The students include professional horticulturists, career changers and leisure gardeners. Reaseheath is an RHS training and examination centre and offers theory and practical qualifications at Levels 2 and 3.

As well as learning traditional skills, all Reaseheath’s horticulture students will be introduced to the latest technology in food production when the college opens its cutting edge national centre for Food Futures and the Environment later this year.

For further details on horticulture courses see www.reaseheath.ac.uk/horticulture.

Equine students provide Bolesworth International arena party

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Our equine students have been commended for the professional way they are providing the arena party for Bolesworth International, our local world class showjumping event.

A team of 40 students and staff are on duty in all three arenas for the four full days of action (June 18 – 21), working alongside international course designers Bob Ellis and Kelvin Bywater.  Competitors include world famous showjumpers such as John and Robert Whitaker, Nick Skelton and Scott Brash.

Our students also provided the arena party for the Equestrian.com intermediate dressage to music class on Thursday, which saw London 2012 British team gold medallist Laura Tomlinson going head to head with 2013 European team medallist Michael Eilberg.

Bolesworth has invested thousands of pounds to build up this exciting 4 star event, which attracted top riders from 14 nations and has been hailed as an industry leader.

Show founder Nina Barbour, who is Managing Director of Bolesworth, said: “Reaseheath’s arena party were extremely competent and professional. We really appreciated their teamwork, which helped us to deliver showjumping at its highest level.”

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

Game Management students to benefit from seed donation

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Game Management students will be able to learn more about managing habitat for game birds thanks to a donation of game cover seed from Kings, UK and European specialists in game cover, conservation and cover crops.

Our Countryside Department has received enough Poacher maize, Campaign Mix and Moir Mix to cover five acres of land. The seed will be grown across nine plots on the college farm and will deliver great shooting value according to game management course manager Matt Goodall.

Our game management students will establish the crops in the next few weeks, eventually using them to run a shoot day as one of their assessments. The crops will be managed by around thirty students over the next two years. The project will help them to recognise how the different species of game cover work for birds such as pheasants and partridges by providing feed, shelter and safe areas.

seeds

Matt explained: “The crops are a really useful teaching resource. Rather than me talking about them in a lesson and explaining their benefits alongside pictures, we can actually go outside and look at them in the ground. This is really important because we’re preparing students for what they will encounter in industry during their future careers.

crops seeds

“The students will be involved in the whole process, from selecting the correct farm equipment and herbicides to choosing the best location for the crops. This knowledge will help them achieve their ultimate aim of rearing the best birds for the day and getting the best possible shooting from the site. At the same time they’ll learn about the conservation aspects involved and how Kings’ crops contribute to this too.

“Meehal Grint, our contact at Kings, has been really helpful. As well as arranging the donation, he has visited the college to talk to students about the role these crops play in game management.”

Meehal Grint, central technical advisor at Kings, said: “Reaseheath’s game management students are the future custodians of our countryside and playing a part in their education is important to Kings. The seed we’ve donated will be accompanied by the expert advice throughout the season that all our growers receive. We look forward to working with the college to help the students really benefit from it.”

For further details on the seed and advice offered by Kings visit: www.kingscrops.co.uk

Garden designers prepare for RHS Flower Show Tatton Park

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Our horticultural students are busy preparing for RHS Flower Show Tatton Park (July 22 – 26). Instead of designing and building their customary show garden, undergraduates studying for their Foundation Degree in Garden and Landscape Design will exhibit an eye catching show feature depicting the elements within the structure of a leaf.

Nigel Barber and Matthew Kent prepare planting for RHS Tatton

Nigel Barber and Matthew Kent prepare planting for RHS Tatton

Supporting the RHS in its efforts to inspire the younger generation into careers involving horticultural science and viable food production, the show feature will link with an educational marquee where visitors can learn more.

A giant aphid sculpture, 1.8 metres high, will provide the focus of the show feature. It will be surrounded by a leaf section showing cells, systems and pathways. The students have been busy collecting thousands of plastic and glass bottles which they will convert into walls and sculptures. The planting scheme will demonstrate examples of edible and medicinal plants and will be recreated after the show at Reaseheath’s £8.5 million National Centre for Food Futures and the Environment, which is due to open next Autumn.

Undergraduate Matthew Kent, who has led the design and build of the show feature along with fellow students Nigel Barber, Sam Lawton and Andrew Degg, said: “We wanted to step outside the box with something which is young and interesting. We’re looking forward to seeing the reaction of visitors when they view the garden.”

 

Reaseheath will also be one of the partners on the ‘Cheshire Gardens of Distinction’ exhibit. Students will also contest the WorldSkillsUK semi-finals and the floristry competition at RHS Tatton.

Talented landscaper to represent GB in world finals

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Talented Reaseheath College trained landscape gardener Matt Beesley is to represent Britain in the WorldSkills finals in São Paulo, Brazil.

Matt, who heard of his selection last week, joins the GB squad to contest the global, Olympics style final, which runs from 11 – 16 August.

WorldSkills runs the competition bi-annually for students aged 23 and under to showcase the skills and value of young professionals in worldwide industries ranging from construction, engineering technology and transportation to IT and communications and social and personal services.

Off to Sao Paulo: Matt Beesley

Off to Sao Paulo: Matt Beesley

Matt, 21, completed his Level 3 Extended Diploma in Horticulture at Reaseheath College in Nantwich in 2012. He now runs his own successful business, Beesley’s Landscapes in Winsford, and employs two apprentices. He first competed in the British selection rounds for WorldSkills while a Reaseheath student and has continued to train intensively as a potential squad member, narrowly missing selection for the world finals in Germany in 2013.

In São Paulo he will be one of two British landscapers who will test their skills and stamina in hard landscaping, plant knowledge and management against the world’s best.

Chris Shore Level 3 Extended Diploma in Horticulture competing

Chris Shore Level 3 Extended Diploma in Horticulture competing

The former Hartford High School pupil said: “Competing and training on the WorldSkills programme has been a fantastic experience for me. I have learned so much and gained such a lot of confidence. I’d particularly like to thank my hard landscape instructor at Reaseheath, Jason Hinks, for his support. I’m now totally focused on the world finals. It would be awesome to bring back a medal.”

Said Jason: “I’m really proud of Matt and how he’s developed as a professional landscaper through WorldSkills. This programme is all about benefitting the students through training and helping them to realise their potential.”

Another team of Reaseheath horticulture students have begun the selection process for the GB squad for WorldSkills 2017, which will be held in Abu Dhabi.

Level 3 Extended Diploma in Horticulture first year students India Hill and Finin Talbot and second year student Christopher Shore have got through two elimination rounds which were run by the Association of Professional Landscapers. They will now compete at the three day semi-finals at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park in July,  in hopes of selection for the national final at The Skills Show, NEC Birmingham, in November.

Reaseheath College’s dairy technologists celebrate first year success

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Seventeen trainee dairy technologists reached a significant career milestone when they completed the first year of their Eden training programme at Reaseheath College in Nantwich, Cheshire, earlier this month.

The technologists work for leading companies in the dairy industry and attend the Eden International Dairy Academy for block release training, spending the rest of their time in their workplace. They will graduate with a globally recognised foundation degree in dairy technology on completion of their three year course. The unique education initiative is supported by key players in the dairy industry and is aimed at producing world-class staff. There are currently 54 trainees on the programme.

While at college, the technologists develop practical dairy processing  skills in Reaseheath’s industry-standard, food and dairy processing plant. The facilities enable the students to see food production from start to finish and also to carry out new product development.

Three of the first year cohort were in line for special honours as they celebrated completing their initial year of study.

Mark Panczak, who works for Arla Foods, was selected as the Best Practical Student, while Richard Jeeves, also from Arla, received the Best Academic Student award.

Kerena Edwards, a Dairy Crest employee,was voted the Dairy Culture Student of the Year after receiving the student vote for the way she represents the Eden values of excellence.

The awards were presented by Nick Blakemore, Food Curriculum  Area Manager and Acting Head of the department.

Course Manager Lucy Catley said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to teach these students and I am very proud of them all. They all performed extremely well and it was very difficult to choose the award winners.”

Caption: Mark Panczak,  Kerena Edwards and Richard Jeeves are pictured with Nick Blakemore and Lucy Catley after the awards ceremony

Floristry student launches joint venture with Mum

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Floristry students and staff during their visit to Bluebells Florist

Floristry students and staff during their visit to Bluebells Florist

Our florists have enjoyed a visit to an exciting floristry shop in Crewe which has been opened by a fellow student and her mum.

Level 2 Diploma in Floristry student Sophie Garratt and her mum Julie Garratt, who also studied floristry at Reaseheath, launched their new venture ‘Bluebells Florist’ in Underwood Lane, Crewe, earlier this month.

Sophie, 17, a former pupil at Ruskin High School, Crewe, plans to progress onto her Level 3 Diploma in Floristry at Reaseheath while helping in the shop part-time.

She explained: “Me and my mum had planned to run a floristry business together for some time and the right opportunity came up. Fortunately work experience is a big part of my Level 3 Diploma course so I can work in our own shop on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays when we’re at our busiest. I’ve already learned how to create window displays and do stocktaking and ordering at college, so that’s really helped me.

“It was great to show the floristry students and staff what we’ve achieved so far. We’ve already had a stream of local visitors into the shop along with our first orders, so we’re really excited about the future.

Giving the venture full marks, floristry lecturer Helen Cooke, who accompanied the group to ‘Bluebells Florist’,  said: “Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the visit and were really impressed with what Sophie and Julie have achieved in such a short time. We wish them the best of luck and are looking forward to hearing about more as the business progresses.”

Contact Bluebells Florist on 01270 617282

Reaseheath food and farming event promises fun for families

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Reaseheath College in Nantwich is preparing to welcome families onto its campus farm on Sunday June 7.

Open Farm Sunday is a national event supported by LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) and is geared to showing families what’s involved in being a British farmer.

The event is free, runs from 10am to 4pm and is suitable for all ages. Activities include tractor and trailer rides, farm tours with commentary, milking demonstrations and sheep racing. Families can also enjoy meeting the farm’s animals including pigs, sheep, cows and newly hatched chicks and have a go on an air rifle range. There will be pedal tractors and a farm trail quiz for younger visitors.

Lecturers will also be on hand to discuss career options with potential students.

Farm Secretary Miriam Howarth said: “The event is a great celebration of farming and food production. We are looking forward to showing families what the British farmer does best. We ‘re offering fun and educational activities for all ages, so hopefully everyone will find something to interest them.”

For more information visit www.reaseheath.ac.uk/ofs or phone 01270 613240

Budding artist captures Reaseheath on a postcard

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Congratulations to Naomi Dean, aged six, whose outstanding picture of a rural scene won a competition at our Family Festival to portray “Reaseheath on a Postcard”.

Naomi’s picture of a tractor in a field, complete with a farm cat, was unanimously declared the winner by judges from Reaseheath’s Higher Education Support Team who ran the competition. Team Leader Helen Kay said: “We chose Naomi’s entry because it was a beautiful picture which was well  thought out and used a good range of design materials.”

Naomi, who lives in Wistaston, is a pupil at Wistaston Berkeley Primary school and enjoys  drawing, crafts and ballet as well as being an animal lover. She and her family are regular visitors to Reaseheath events.

The lucky winner called into college last week with Dad Mike to collect her prizes, a family ticket for Reaseheath Zoo and a £5 book token.

Here she is, showing off that lovely postcard with Helen Kay.

Helen Kay, team leader HEST, with Naomi Dean and winning drawing

Helen Kay, team leader HEST, with Naomi Dean and winning drawing