Vicky Venn demonstrates Strelitzia to Sue Poole and Fiona Davies

Reaseheath becomes flagship college for floristry software

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Reaseheath College in Cheshire has become the first in the UK to integrate a cutting edge software management system into its floristry teaching.

The Strelitzia software is an intuitive programme which incorporates all aspects of running a floristry shop into one system. Used widely  throughout the industry in this country and abroad, it enables shops and managers to communicate efficiently with each other and with suppliers through structured links into the industry’s web-based systems. This speeds up processes from ordering and organising deliveries to completing invoices, preparing reports and tracking marketing techniques.

The top-of-the-range technology is being introduced to Reaseheath floristry teaching staff this month and will be incorporated into student lessons from March. It will become an established part of all courses from Level 2 Diploma in Floristry upwards from September 2015. The department also plans to run short courses so it can share knowledge and training on the system with local floristry businesses.

Sue Poole, Programme Leader for Floristry, explained: “This software system brings the day to day running of floristry shops up to speed with today’s retail world. It is definitely the way forward and we are proud to be the first college to incorporate the technology into our courses. We view it as a very positive move, as these additional skills can only improve the employability and entrepreneurship of our students.”

Mark Bennett, a Director of Strelitzia Software, said: “We are delighted that Reaseheath College  recognises the importance of educating florists early about the benefits of a software management system.”

Click here for more information on our Floristry courses.

Council secures pilot enterprise scheme for Reaseheath College

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Cheshire East’s farming community, food growers and suppliers could soon benefit from a successful bid by Cheshire East Council to secure Food Enterprise Zone (FEZ) status, a government scheme aimed at boosting the economy in the countryside.

Reaseheath College, Nantwich has been chosen to pilot the scheme in parallel with ten similar pathfinder projects throughout the UK.

Cheshire East is one of 11 potential FEZs announced by Elizabeth Truss, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Through a local development order, agricultural businesses and communities will be able to take advantage of relaxed planning regulations to encourage new enterprises and business development in the food growing, food supply and farming industry.

The 272 hectares which form the Reaseheath Estate are at the heart of the Cheshire dairy farming industry and it is hoped that if the pilot scheme is successful, similar FEZs will be established in other parts of the borough.

Reaseheath has a longstanding reputation for working alongside the agriculture industry, food growing and supply chain.

The proposal is to create a unique and highly innovative integrated FEZ within which businesses can access support, skills, specialist technical resources and facilities to grow and thrive.

Welcoming the announcement, Cheshire East Council Leader Michael Jones said: “This is more excellent news for this part of the Borough and great news for our local farmers and food growers.

“I congratulate our team on their successful bid.

“Food Enterprise Zones will help to unlock the potential of our local producers, food and agricultural businesses.

“It will encourage enterprise and job creation across the board, generating opportunity and innovation.

“The County of Cheshire and Cheshire farmers represent a great tradition and have been at the heart of the UK’s food production industry for centuries.

“Reaseheath College is a beacon of excellence in the agri-economy of the UK and is a glowing example of the breadth and depth of skills and innovation in and around the towns of Crewe and Nantwich.”

The Reaseheath enterprise zone will encompass five sites. Schemes will include a new knowledge and development facility to demonstrate the use of drones and remote imaging to increase efficiency in crop production.

There will be incubator space to support and develop new business within the FEZ.

Other initiatives include the development of a nutrition centre to explore the impact of diet on exercise performance and well-being in the general population.

The ambition and objective of the FEZ is to strengthen research, technical development, innovation and skills, to enable more collaborative working along the food supply chain and to support economic growth and healthy competition.

Meredydd David, Principal of the college, said: “Reaseheath is delighted to be working with Cheshire East Council on securing Food Enterpise Zone status, as this will help the college to continue to support the agricultural, food manufacturing and rural businesses within the sub-region of the Local Enterprise Partnership and the surrounding counties.

“Defra’s selection of this project as a ‘pathfinder’ is recognition of the importance of the agriculture and food industry to the regional and national economy and the role that both Reaseheath College and Cheshire East Council play in supporting this hugely valuable industry.”

Cheshire East Council’s successful bid was spearheaded by Caroline Simpson, the authority’s newly appointed Executive Director of Economic Growth and Prosperity, in conjunction with the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership.

Grants of up to £50,000 will be made available for the initial process of establishing a Local Development Order, an essential step towards the creation of a FEZ.

The UK’s food industry is worth more than £100 billion a year to the UK economy and FEZs will ensure that farmers and agricultural businesses in Cheshire East can grow more top quality food and develop innovative businesses that will help to boost the rural economy.

The zones will empower local communities to influence the choice and location of businesses and give added protection to the countryside around their communities.

In a statement, Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said: “Food and farming is at the heart of our long-term economic plan and vital to securing Britain’s economic future.”

Talented George is Apprentice of the Month

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Talented Crewe Alexandra FC forward George Cooper has been selected as apprentice of the month in a national competition ‘The 11’ run by the League Football Education (LFE).

The first team player was chosen over entrants from clubs nationwide for the outstanding progress he made in both his sport and academic studies while he has been an apprentice at the famous Crewe Alex Football Academy.

George, 18, will be one of 11 football apprentices to go head to head in a national final at the end of the season. He was put forward for the competition after impressing Reaseheath College Lecturer in Sports Performance Lauren Goff, Head of Education at Crewe Alex Dave Whiteside and Regional Officer for the LFE Keith Leighton.

George, who lives in Warrington, was offered a three year professional contract by Crewe Alex last April and has played and scored in several League One matches.  As well as continuing his football training with the club, he is a student at Reaseheath College in Nantwich, where he and fellow Academy members study sports science related topics which will be useful for their later careers.

A former pupil at St Gregory’s Catholic High School, Warrington, George is due to finish his studies in May and is on track to complete his Level 3 Diploma in Sport Performance and Excellence qualification as well as Functional Skills at Level 2 in Maths and English.

Course manager Lauren explained: “We put George forward because he has worked hard at his academic studies. He has also shown maturity by the way he has coped with the demands of continuing his education alongside his blossoming career as a professional footballer. He will be an asset in any sporting career.”

George said: “I was surprised and very pleased to be put forward for this award. Although I enjoy playing football, being a member of the Academy and coming to college has given me the chance to study subjects like nutrition and coaching. This will help widen my career choices after I’ve retired from professional playing.”

Reaseheath and Crewe Alexandra FC have worked together for some years to deliver the academic programme for the Football Academy. Reaseheath is now launching a Ladies Football Academy in partnership with Crewe Alex to give talented young female footballers the chance to enhance their football skills while studying for a nationally recognised sport qualification. Applications being taken now. For further details email kate.humphrey@reaseheath.ac.uk

 

Reaseheath scores hat trick in Young Shepherd of the Year

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Reaseheath College, agricultural students scored a hat trick by taking the top three prizes at the Young Shepherd of the Year competition, run by the Central Region of the National Sheep Association (NSA).

Tom Bird, a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Agriculture student from Derbyshire, took the top honours with fellow students Rich Bailey from Aberystwyth in the runner-up position and Rob Morris from south Shropshire in third place.

The students proved that they had the all-round skills to make successful commercial shepherds by completing five elements covering all aspects of the industry. These included demonstrating correct techniques in sheep handling, belly clipping, foot care, vaccinating, drenching and all terrain vehicle handling, and a written paper on flock management. They also carried out an EBLEX lamb selection, proving they understand the requirements of the meat market.

Sponsored by Horner shearing, the Texel Sheep Society and Mole Valley Farmers, the multi-skilled competition was held at The Winter Fair, Bakewell Agricultural Centre, last Thursday and attracted entries from across several counties.

As well as collecting a trophy and a cheque, Tom, 18, also qualified for the NSA Young Shepherd of the Year national finals which will be held at the Malvern Three Counties showground in 2016.

He said: “I really enjoyed the competition. It was great experience and certainly something to put on my CV!”

Reaseheath’s Programme Leader for Agriculture Richard Wheeldon is current chairman for the NSA Central region. He explained: “We run this competition annually to encourage and inspire the next generation of shepherds. It is also an opportunity for talented students to showcase their skills.”

 

Career talk inspires travel plans

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Adrian Dunn with Level 3 Extended Diploma Agric students Megan Baldwin and Becky Worthington 4mbReaseheath alumnus Adrian Dunn returned to the College to share his experiences of working and travelling abroad.

The former agriculture student addressed our final year Level 3 Extended Diploma in Agriculture cohort and discussed how he spent two years building his industry knowledge on a range of farms across New Zealand and Australia. Adrian began his travels in 2002, working on a 580 dairy herd farm in New Zealand and proceeded on to the Australian Outback where he achieved a role as a maintenance assistant on a five million hectare farm.

Adrian addresses agriculture students

Adrian addresses agriculture students

Said Adrian, “Working on the other side of the world was an amazing experience, it gave me a whole new perspective on work and my career. I made the decision to go to New Zealand after listening to an ex-student’s talk when I was at college myself and I wanted to  ‘give something back’ to the current students. I hope the talk gave students a little inspiration to help them take the plunge and travel too.”

Adrian offered students his tips on organising placements, how to get the best out of work experience and guidance on utilising their time effectively whilst travelling.

Combining work placements with travel, Adrian took the opportunity to embark on the famous ‘Kiwi Experience’ tour of New Zealand and spent time exploring some of Australia’s hotspots. On returning to the UK at the end of 2003, Adrian went on to work on farms across Cheshire, whilst also pursuing a part-time role as a youth worker. He now runs his own children’s sports coaching business, A-Star Sports.

Adrian studied at Reaseheath from 1996 to 1999. He initially completed a foundation course and NVQ Level 2 in mechanics, before moving on to complete his National Certificate in Agriculture (NCA).

 

If you would like to give our final year students your top tips on how to make that all-important transition from study to work through delivering a career talk or workshop, please contact Alumni Officer Katie Burt on alumni@reaseheath.ac.uk

 

Agricultural undergraduates hone their lab skills as they get inside science

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First year Foundation Degree in Agriculture students really got stuck in to investigating the internal workings of the heart and lungs as part of their Agricultural Biology module.

Carefully dissecting hearts and lungs from sheep, pigs and cattle they were able to see first-hand the similarities and differences between species. Detailed knowledge of how body systems work in farm animals is key to understanding their management, particularly with respect to maintaining health and welfare while maximising production.

Even the most squeamish in the group admitted they had enjoyed themselves!

For more information on our Agriculture degree courses visit the Higher Education Agriculture pages on our website.

Reaseheath receives share of £22m to improve engagement work with schools and young people

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Reaseheath College is set to receive a share of £22 million to continue its work with school engagement networks whose aim it is to increase school children’s access to study within higher education.

As part of the ‘Widening Participation Collaborative Group’ (WPCG), Reaseheath has already undertaken a wealth of activity that falls within the WP initiative and is committed to enhancing the educational experiences of students across the Cheshire region.

The National Networks for Collaborative Outreach (NNCO) will deliver a nationally co-ordinated approach to working with schools, universities and colleges to help people access higher education. Local and regional providers of higher education have come together to form the networks, ensuring comprehensive coverage across England.

As a specialist provider of higher education, attracting students from across the globe, Reaseheath Colleges’ message is that the land sciences and food futures industries are key to the economic growth of the country and as such offer a wide range of careers.

Madeleine Atkins, Chief Executive of HEFCE, said ‘We have been impressed by the higher education sector’s response to this scheme, which means that vital information about how to progress into higher education will be available to people across England. We set out to establish coverage of state-funded secondary schools and sixth form colleges and, through the support of the sector, this will be achieved.’

Reaseheath Plasterers gain industry insight

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Reaseheath plasterers have been gaining industry tips and experience during their latest site visit thanks to Perkins Plasterers of Stoke-on-Trent.

Perkins Plasterers invited students to visit one of their larger projects, an 80 apartment retirement village site. During the visit, students had the opportunity to see a range of skills and attributes plasterers require for success within the modern construction industry.

All of our plasterers sat through a thorough site induction, which was excellent, as it helped to bring aspects of their health and safety theory module to life.

Due to size of the site, students were able to see apartments at a variety of different construction stages. They were treated to demonstrations of a range of different plastering practices and techniques including floor screeding, metal partitioning, plasterboarding and skimming walls and ceilings.

Students watch as a wall is being plastered

Students also had chance to ask lots of questions, of which they had plenty – in particular for the plasterers of course!

We were also fortunate enough to welcome Perkins Plasterers to our recent construction careers event, held on campus. Members of the Perkins’ team kindly joined other industry representatives, former students and the construction team to discuss construction courses and careers with our visitors.

For more information on our Construction courses visit our website.

Students take notes

Sport helps Reaseheath students get ‘Fit for Work’

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Foundation and Entry students are benefitting from an innovative project encouraging them to take up active sports for life.

Around 200 students are enjoying dedicated sessions in Reaseheath’s gym and at local leisure centres thanks to a ‘Fit for Work’ programme put together by our Sports and Foundation Departments.

The project aims to make sport more accessible to our foundation and entry students by offering them one hour of physical activity a week. It is hoped that this will encourage the less active to incorporate sport into their daily routine and to enjoy the long term mental and physical benefits of a more active lifestyle.National Lottery and Sport England - Portrait (CMYK)‘Fit for Work’ will run for three years at a total cost of £76,242, almost £61,000 of which has been awarded through National Lottery funding from Sport England, the national body which champions sporting habits among individuals and communities. The remainder is being met by Reaseheath.

The funding application, made through our sports department, was supported by Active Cheshire, the lead body for sport in Cheshire and Warrington, and Everybody Sport & Recreation, which delivers leisure in partnership with Cheshire East Council.

As well as using our own sports facilities, students attend small group sessions at local venues such as Nantwich swimming pool and the Victoria Centre, Crewe.

The project launched in September and is already proving popular, with students gaining confidence in the use of gym equipment and enjoying sports such as boxercise, badminton, volleyball and dodgeball. Two trampolines are also being purchased. Student feedback is used to influence the activities on offer.

There are also plans to involve our own sports students as supervisors and coaches, enabling them to earn teaching hours and work towards sports leader awards.

Foundation lecturer Simon Warman is overseeing the project. He was supported in the initial launch by college sports maker Sarah Ruff.

Sophie Evans, Curriculum Area Manager for Sport, explained: “We believe that this project will make a real difference to the health and wellbeing of our students, particularly those with learning difficulties and disabilities who often lack the confidence to access physical activity.

“Hopefully these students will be encouraged to follow a healthier lifestyle and that will be helpful for them in their future careers. It fits in well with our aim to increase sport participation across all college departments.”

Alex Fox, a Foundation Countryside student said: “I think this is a great idea. I’ve always wanted to join the gym and now I’ve had an introductory session I’d like to continue and get more active.”

 

RHS students celebrate success

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Sixty students who gained Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) qualifications at Reaseheath this year have celebrated their achievements at an awards ceremony.

Mirroring the national trend, around half are professional horticulturists furthering their development while the remainder are career changers and keen leisure gardeners.

Harry and Anne address RHS students

Harry and Anne address RHS students

Reaseheath is recognised as the leading RHS training and examination centre in the north west and students currently travel from as far as the Wirral, Manchester, Bolton and Shrewsbury to attend courses. This year 90 students with a wide age range are enrolled.

Reaseheath offers separate theory and practical qualifications at both Level 2 and Level 3. Once both awards are achieved they convert into a well respected RHS Level 2 or Level 3 Diploma in the Principles and Practices of Horticulture.

RHS students complete a minimum of 430 learning hours to achieve the diploma. Apart from attending lectures they take part in practical activities in the college grounds and also play a key role in building our show gardens at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park.

They also enjoy trips to outstanding local gardens and many will join a study tour of the leading gardens and horticultural centres in Holland next Spring.

Congratulating the students, Curriculum Area Manager for Horticulture Sarah Hopkinson said: “These qualifications demand a lot of individual input and the final exams are very stringent. This is why they are so well recognised and respected in the industry. You and your lecturers have put in tremendous effort and you should all be very proud of your achievements.”

RHS Master of Horticulture Harry Delaney, who taught the students before recently retiring, also attended the ceremony.

Reaseheath offers the RHS Level 2 and Level 3 Certificates in Horticulture (theory and practical) as weekly daytime courses and an additional RHS Level 2 Certificate in Horticulture (theory only) as an evening course.

For further details visit the RHS pages on our website or contact Course Manager Anne Harrison anneh@reaseheath.ac.uk.