Florists create festive designs at Arley Hall

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Deb Kenny (rhs) and Rachel Collinson-Fletcher L3 Dip Arley Hall prepOur floristry students have been making an impact by decorating one of Cheshire’s finest country homes ready for Christmas.

Managers of Arley Hall, near Knutsford, invited our students to help design and decorate the Gallery in time for the thousands of visitors who pour through its doors in December. The Level 2 and Level 3 Diploma students, who include mature learners and career changers, have decorated the grand staircase, dining hall and library using traditional techniques and materials – some of which are collected from Arley’s gardens.

Twenty-five students have been involved in the project, which is in addition to their course studies.

They visited the venue last month to get a full understanding of requirements and worked out their designs at college. A giant Christmas tree was one of the most important tasks.

Course Manager Fiona Davies said: “The students have been working in teams on a grand scale  with the aim of  creating a real impact. This has really challenged their creativity as well as giving them valuable experience of working on a public event.

“One of their greatest challenges has been working with and around the furniture, much of which is irreplaceable. They have also had to choose materials that will last for the whole event.

“It has been an excellent opportunity for them to become involved in commercial practice. They have also very much enjoyed working in such a beautiful and grand setting.”

Arley Hall’s annual Christmas Floral Extravaganza opened on Saturday and continues until Thursday, December 11. Admission is £7.50 for adults and £2.50 for children.

 On Monday December 8 and Wednesday December 10 visitors can see the hall by candlelight between 6pm and 9pm and enjoy carols. Admission is £9.

Students and staff spread the joy of Christmas across the globe

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Reaseheath College students and staff have been helping to spread the festive spirit by filling shoeboxes with gifts and treats for Operation Christmas Child.

Students and staff from across the College rallied together and packed 86 shoeboxes, which were delivered to the Nantwich Operation Christmas Child distribution centre, by our College Chaplin, Drew Walker. Particularly commendable effort was made by our construction department who collected enough essentials to fill 20 of the boxes – 10 for boys and 10 for girls.

Group of students filling boxes with gifts

Organised by the Christian charity Samaritan’s Purse, the shoebox appeal encourages participants to fill empty shoeboxes with toys, school supplies and other useful items to donate to children across the world living in challenging circumstances. The charity has brought Christmas cheer to over 100 million children in over 130 countries since its establishment in 1990.

Said Drew: “It was a privilege for me to represent Reaseheath College and see for myself all the hard work that goes into the sorting, packing and shipping of over 9000 shoe boxes from around the Crewe and Nantwich area.

“It is humbling to see that over 9000 children will receive a Christmas gift this year who would normally go without.”

OCC1

Reaseheath Conservation Society go Orange for Orangutans

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Go Orange 2This October the Reaseheath Conservation Society took part in raising money for Chester Zoos charity campaign Act for Wildlife: Go Orange for Orangutans.

The society held two pub quiz nights in the student bar on the 27th October and 10th November, both events were a huge success with the students, society and bar staff. Members of the Conservation Society helped with the creation of decorations and advertising of these events, as well as helping to run the event. Money vouchers were presented to the winning teams on each night which were to be spent at the student bar.

Go Orange 3Altogether the Conservation Society managed to raise £202.52 for Go Orange which will go towards planting and protecting 20 trees in the Borneo Rainforest. The money was donated to the Chester Zoo development team by hand and was given a personal thank you letter, certificate and donation picture opportunity around the Orangutan enclosure at Chester Zoo.

If you wish to get involved in any of the Reaseheath Conservation Society events or just see what the society is about then please go onto or Facebook page, follow our blog on Tumblr or attend the meetings every Tuesday at 4.30 in the lecture theatre.

Reaseheath vehicle technicians give Santa a helping hand

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Santa’s sleigh will slide more slickly round the streets of Nantwich thanks to pre-season preparation by Reaseheath’s student vehicle technicians.

Students from our Levels 2 and 3 IMI Light Vehicle Maintenance and Repair courses, along with pupils on our 14 -16 years schools programme, have overhauled the sleigh in time for its festive charity trip around town with The Rotary Club of Nantwich.

For the third year running our students have carried out general maintenance including repairs to the generator, welding a new frame and a full check of the fairy lights. They have also repainted the sleigh and decorated it with new decals.

Rotary Club Membership Secretary John Crowe said: “Families look forward to a visit from Santa in the period running up to Christmas and it gives us the chance to raise money for worthy local charities.

“Reaseheath’s students do a wonderful job and we are always confident that the sleigh will be looking at its best.”

Said Level 2 student Callum Dix: “Renovating Santa’s sleigh gave us a chance to use many of the skills we’ve learned. It was also good to be involved in a project which will benefit the local community.”

The Rotary Club of Nantwich typically raises around £5,000 over the Christmas period for worthy causes. Santa and his sleigh will be in Nantwich on:

Evenings:

Monday December 8 (Queens Drive)

Tuesday December 9 (Manor Road)

Wednesday December 10 (Wellington Road)

Thursday December 11 (Shrewbridge Road)

Monday December 15 (Cronkinson East)

Tuesday December 16 (Cronkinson West)

Wednesday December 17 (Kingsley Fields)

Daytime:

Friday December 12 (Sainsbury’s)

Thursday December 18 (The Square)

Friday December 19 (Sainsbury’s)

Fantastic success for Reaseheath at WorldSkills UK

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Reaseheath florist Anna Eite is officially the most talented student florist in Britain after winning gold at the WorldSkills UK national finals this weekend.

Anna Eite competing

Anna competing

Anna took the top title in the advanced section against strong competition from the best students from colleges and training providers nationwide. The taxing competition was held over three days in front of thousands of visitors to The Skills Show in Birmingham, the country’s biggest showcase of vocational skills and careers.

Anna had to complete five tasks which included designing a floral hat, belt and chair, making up a planted container and taking part in a team project.

Anna, 21, is a Level 3 Diploma in Floristry student and has been supported and trained by Programme Leader for Floristry Sue Poole. Said Sue: “This was a fantastic result and we are all so proud of Anna. She was a wonderful representative for Reaseheath and for the floristry department.”

Richard Carden chats to lead judge Jody Lidgard

Richard chats to lead judge Jody Lidgard

Unfortunately Anna will be over the 22 years age limit for the WorldSkills final in Abu Dhabi in 2017 and will not be considered for the WorldSkills GB team for Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2015 as this squad has already been selected.

Anna will represent us at the Chelsea Flower Show 2015, however, as she was on the student team which won the RHS Tatton Park Floristry College of the Year Competition this summer. This title made us eligible for the national final at Chelsea.

Our horticulture department was also proud to support Richard Carden as he battled it out in the WorldSkills UK garden landscape finals. Although Richard, a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Horticulture student, didn’t win a medal he was one of just six students to be selected for the national finals. He met the challenge to build a 2m x 6m garden designed by award winning designer Alexandra Froggatt.

Course Manager Tracy Walker said: “Richard did a fantastic job considering the pressure he was under to perform at the very highest level.”

You find out more information about our floristry and horticulture courses on our website.

Reaseheath florists create impact for IChemE

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Reaseheath floristry students have been commissioned to create designs for a prestigious awards dinner later this week.

The Level 2 Diploma in Floristry students are today putting the final touches to 50 table arrangements for The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) 2014 Global Awards Dinner, to be held at Cheltenham Park Racecourse, Gloucestershire, on Thursday.

The event recognises and rewards chemical engineering innovation and excellence and is a key event in the IChemE calendar, typically attracting 400 delegates from around the world.

The students were tasked to come up with a modern design incorporating the IChemE brand colours of purple and green. Their final suggestion, which delighted the client, was an arrangement made up of purple orchids, pink anthuriums, pale green chrysanthemums and white dianthus, set off on a base of dark green foliage. Grasses and beads will provide the final touches. The designs will be displayed on mirror plates with candles in their final situation.

The awards dinner is the first of three major public events which our florists will work on this month.

Next week our Level 3 students will provide the floral arrangements for the Asian Fire Service Association’s Conference in Staffordshire while students on both Levels 2 and 3 will help to design and decorate the gallery at Arley Hall near Knutsford before it opens to thousands of Christmas visitors.

Our florists are involved in a number of community events throughout the year which require them to liaise with clients and produce designs on a grand scale.

Although these events are in addition to required assignments, our students are delighted to become involved as they learn relevant commercial practice and often work in beautiful and grand settings.

Reaseheath College in Nantwich, Cheshire, is nationally recognised as one of the UK’s most successful and progressive providers of floristry education. Our students currently hold the title of RHS Tatton Park Floristry College and will compete for the national title at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2015.

The floristry department offers courses in floristry and floral design and short courses for school leavers and professionals. More details: www.reaseheath.ac.uk/floristry

Equine students with Guy Williams

Reaseheath was riding high at HOYS

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Reaseheath College equine students and staff came under the spotlight at the world’s most famous horse show, the Horse of the Year Show, by providing the arena party for the fourth consecutive year.

Elle Germany gets a cuddle from Bob Ellis

Elle Germany gets a cuddle from Bob Ellis

A team of 38 students and two staff were on duty for last week’s event helping international course designers Bob Ellis and Kelvin Bywater build courses to test the world’s leading showjumpers.

The students received unique training and experience and also took the opportunity to catch up with top ranked showjumpers including Guy Williams, an early international class winner.

Led by FE Programme Leader Sarah Houghton and course manager Kerry Nunns, the Nantwich college’s team did such a professional job that they have already been booked as the arena party for HOYS 2015.

The arena party at work

The arena party at work

Bob Ellis, who was lead course designer for the London 2012 Olympics, said: “Yet again, Reaseheath’s arena party has been exceptional and are helping us to put on a superb show.  All the students are easy to work with, listen to instructions and have a great sense of humour. They are a credit to the college and to Sarah and Kerry, who do such a great job in keeping everyone motivated because they lead from the front.”

“All riders aspire to compete and win at HOYS and it makes such a difference to us knowing that we can rely on our arena team to do a professional job.”

Reaseheath also provides the arena party for Bolesworth International and other prestigious venues. Students from all courses, from diplomas to degrees, are encouraged to take part.

For further details about Reaseheath’s equine courses see www.reaseheath.ac.uk/equine.

Reaseheath graduation opens doors to careers success

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Graduates from Reaseheath College received degrees designed to boost their careers at a ceremony in the centre of Nantwich.

Dressed in gowns and mortar boards, almost 150 graduates spilled out of St Mary’s Church to celebrate with Britain’s best known Paralympic athlete Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson OBE, who was guest speaker.

The ceremony marked the achievement of students who had completed degrees in agricultural science, equine science, food technology, garden and landscape design, engineering, countryside management, adventure sports management and rural events management, all delivered in partnership with Harper Adams University.

Animal management and science students on degree programmes validated by the University of Chester (UoM) graduated alongside other UoM students at Chester Catherdral  in November.

Describing the Nantwich ceremony as one of the highlight of the academic year, Reaseheath Principal Meredydd David emphasised that the graduates would see a massive return on their financial and emotional investment. An independent analysis had shown that £40,000 spent on course fees and living expenses would secure an additional £250,000 over the span of a career. Nearly 90% of Reaseheath graduates who completed degrees last year were in related employment within six months of completing their course on an average starting salary of £21,000.

Degrees gained at Reaseheath College were specialist, technical qualifications which enabled students to gain both knowledge and the necessary skills and competencies to carve out a successful career.

In such a competitive jobs market it was important that higher education (HE) programmes were delivered and validated by high quality, well respected institutions. Reaseheath’s own HE programmes had recently been inspected by the Quality Assurance Agency and had received fantastic report, equivalent to an ‘Outstanding’ from Ofsted.

Reaseheath continued to invest in specialist facilities and resources which would give students the competitive edge in the jobs market. Over £40 million had been spent on facilities which were recognised as among the best in the country. A further £10 million would be invested this year into a national centre for Food Futures and Environmental Management and this would be followed by a £13 million spend on a 200 room residential building and an extension to the Higher Education Centre, both to be completed for September 2016.

Reaseheath currently had 700 students enrolled on degree courses. A significant number were mature students or were studying while working with the support of their employers. One of its most successful programmes was the Eden Project, which offers dairy technologists the chance to gain a globally recognised Foundation Degree in Dairy Technology. The qualification had been developed in close partnership with industry and was aimed at meeting demand for future managers.

Although academic progress was important, Meredydd pointed out that many graduates had helped to organise social events and charity fund raising, which last year contributed £12,000 to worthy charities.

Congratulating the graduates, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, who studied politics and now has a seat in the House of Lords, said that education was vital and led to wider choices. Her key advice was to try something new and not be put off by failure. Although she had been dedicated to wheelchair racing from the age of 12 she did not win for four years and this had taught her how to train and be committed.

To find out more about our degree programmes please visit the Higher Education pages on our website.

For more photos from the day visit our Facebook page.

 

Motor vehicle students

Raceway trip proved no drag for IMI motor vehicle students

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When the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) announced that they were giving away tickets to Santa Pod Raceway for the National Hot Rod Finals, the motor vehicle technology team decided that they would organise a trip for the students to witness the world of Top Fuel Dragster racing.

A selection of students from Level 1, 2 and 3 IMI Motor Vehicle courses attended the day trip to see cars and motorbikes competing head-to-head along the quarter of a mile long strip.

Motor Vehicle Santa Pod racewayOn arrival, all the students were treated to a pit lane walk and were able to spend the rest of the day looking around the vehicles that would be competing in the high-octane action.

As the students took to their seats and pressed home the ear plugs that we wisely took with us, the cars took to the starting lines. The engines were revved and burnouts took place to warm the tyres. As the lights ticked down to green the grandstands were filled with noise, you could feel the ground shaking beneath you as the cars and bikes accelerated from 0-100mph in under two seconds. Nearly all of the top fuel cars were completing the course in less than 6 seconds, reaching straight line speeds of over 240mph.

For many of the students this was their first experience of drag racing and all of them came away with some great memories of their first visit to Santa Pod.

For further details on Reaseheath’s Motor Vehicle courses see www.reaseheath.ac.uk/motor-vehicle.

Steve Ellis

Course Manager, IMI Level 3 Diploma in Light Vehicle Maintenance and Repair

 

The Cheshire Grassland Society celebrates half century

The Cheshire Grassland Society celebrates half century

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The Cheshire Grassland Society celebrated its 50th anniversary with a drinks reception and formal dinner at Reaseheath College, Nantwich, last week.

The society held its first meeting at Reaseheath in October 1964 and has held its winter meetings at the college since then.

Sixty past and present members attended including past chairmen George Radley, (1973/74), Neville Thornhill, (1982/83), Jim Fletcher (1984/85), Richard Ratcliffe (1986/87), Stuart Yarwood (1988/89), Ken Furness (1992/94), David Hughes (1994/95) and Colin Hamilton (2011/13) and current chairman Phil Feeney. They were joined by members of the British Grassland Society and by representatives from the agriculture industry.

The Cheshire Grassland Society provides a forum for the county’s progressive grassland farmers, helping them to grow more grass which is converted by livestock into milk and meat for the supermarket shelf. The society invites specialist speakers to its winter meetings, organises silage and grazing competitions among members and runs an annual trip to look at top class grassland farms in other parts of the country.

The Cheshire Grassland Society secretary Lesley Innes, a member of the planning committee for the event, said: “The evening marked a significant milestone for the society and it was a great success. The drinks reception had a vibrant atmosphere and this was followed by an excellent formal dinner. Guests were delighted to have the opportunity to catch up and reminisce, particularly as some had not seen each other for years. Everyone enjoyed themselves and I am sure the evening will be talked about for a very long time.”

The event was partly sponsored by Harvey Hughes Ltd, HJ Lea Oakes, Trouw Nutrition, Germinal Seeds, Nickerson Seeds and Growhow Ltd.