Motivated Reaseheath students receive bursaries

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Two motivated students from Reaseheath College, Nantwich, have received bursaries from the Studley College Trust to help them finance their studies.

Jack Devaney, 19, a horticulture student and Dafydd Jones, also 19, who is studying agricultural engineering, received their bursaries from Studley Trustee Michael Walker this week.

Currently studying on Level 3 Extended Diploma programmes, both students are hoping to progress onto degree programmes or into advanced apprenticeships and will use the money to ensure they make the most of academic life at Reaseheath.

Once he has completed his course this summer, Jack has applied to Plymouth University to study 3D design and hopes to become a garden designer. He already had A levels including one in product design when he joined Reaseheath from Aquinas College, Stockport.

Jack, whose father is disabled, said: “The bursary will be a massive help.  It will help me prepare for the future – and it was nice to see the smile on my parents’ faces.”

Dafydd, of Anglesey,  is considering studying for a degree in agricultural engineering  at Harper Adams University or may look for an advanced apprentice with a blue chip company such as Bentley or JCB.

He said: “It was great getting a bursary because it will help me onto the next level of study. Reaseheath staff were very supportive when I decided to apply.”

The Studley College Trust provides financial support for study, training and research in land-based industries. Reaseheath is one of a number of ‘Bursary Partnership Colleges’ which receive an annual allocation of Studley College Funds to award to eligible students. Financial support is available for students who are already studying at college or who are planning to join in the next academic year.

Michael Walker, who is Head of Trentham Garden and Estate, Stoke-on-Trent, said: “Speaking as a Trustee, it is particularly rewarding to be able to support students who are finding it difficult to finance their college studies or who might be held back due to financial constraints. This is an area where we can frequently help, and we have developed a very good relationship with Reaseheath in identifying students who would benefit from our bursaries.

“Both Jack and Dafydd show motivation and commitment to developing their careers and make excellent and deserving candidates for the funding they have received.”

Students applying for a Studley College Trust bursary need to speak to their course tutor first to check eligibility.  Further information and application forms are available from student finance.

For more details on the Studley College Trust see www.studleytrust.co.uk

 

Reaseheath apprentices ensure staff succession

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The crucial role that apprentices play by ensuring staff succession was emphasised at an awards ceremony at Reaseheath College last week.

The ceremony celebrated the achievement of 180 apprentices who gained their qualifications at the Nantwich, Cheshire, specialist college in the past year.

Reaseheath currently trains over 450 apprentices who work in businesses throughout Cheshire and surrounding counties. Most attend college weekly and spend the rest of the week earning and training in the workplace. Although the majority are aged between 16 and 24, Reaseheath also offers adult apprenticeships for those aged over 25.

The scheme is supported by 226 employers including councils, golf clubs, garden maintenance companies, kennels, pet shops, livery stables, florists, farms and the food, construction and timber industries.

Addressing an audience which included employers and family members, Reaseheath Vice Principal Dave Kynaston congratulated the apprentices and their companies for investing in meaningful and valued qualifications which would boost productivity and ensure the future of the UK’s skilled workforce.

He emphasised that apprenticeships had gained favour with both employers and the government and that recruitment was at an all time high, with 850,000 apprentices in the UK.

Guest speaker John Hurst, who oversees management of 15,000 acres for Co-operative Farms and is responsible for the company’s graduate training scheme, said that The Co-operative was working with Reaseheath to ensure that there was a succession of trained and skilled employees within the company who would fill the skills gap when older workers retired.

The agricultural industry was becoming increasingly technical and it was essential that employees were trained in the operation of sophisticated machinery and equipment. His company appreciated the support given by Reaseheath to its training programme.

Also on the podium was Level 3 agriculture apprentice Jordan Kenyon, last year’s Apprentice of the Year, who described his progress as a herdsman with dairy farmer Martin Wheelton of Gawsworth near Macclesfield. His career had moved fast and he now managed two staff and was looking forward to managing a dairy unit or possibly studying business to a higher level.

Apprentice of the Year adam Hughes and Advanced Apprentice of the Year Lyndsay Jones

Top apprentices Adam Hughes and Lyndsay Jones

Top honours of the evening went to Apprentice of the Year Adam Hughes, a plant maintenance engineer for Gunn JCB, and to Advanced Apprentice of the Year Lyndsay Jones, a production operator and machine setter for Aimia Foods, a food and beverages manufacturer.

Both were selected for their commitment to their studies and the quality of their college work, and for their outstanding contribution to their employers’ businesses.

Adam , 20, works at Gunn JCB’s West Bromwich  depot.  He has been with the company for three  years, has completed his Level 2 Diploma in Work Based Learning and has progressed to Level 3. Reaseheath has a long standing training partnership with Gunn JCB and trains apprentices from the company every year.

Lyndsay,  47, is a production operator and machine setter at Aimia Food’s Haydock base, a position which requires him to take full responsibility over three people and five production lines.  Since completing his apprenticeship he has come up with many suggestions which could benefit his company, resulting in him winning an innovation award and  being nominated for the title of ‘Employee of the Year’.

Other principle winners were:

Agriculture apprentice of the year Adam Brown

Best agricultural apprentice Adam Brown

Best Agriculture Apprentice: Adam Brown, 26, who works as an Anaerobic Digestion (AD) technician on Reaseheath’s demonstration AD plant. Adam’s duties include guided tours for local farming and community groups, allied businesses and undergraduates. He is also employed on his family’s dairy farm in Holmes Chapel.

 

Best Construction Apprentice (Brickwork): Charlie Emms, 19, who is employed by  M E Parker, a company which specialises in steel shed erection on rural farms in Shropshire. Making the most of his brickworking skills, Charlie carries out the blockwork and helps to erect the steel structure.

 

Best apprentice joiner Ed Oliver with employer Craig Hallworth

Top joinery apprentice Edward Oliver with his employer Craig Hallworth

Best Construction Apprentice (Joinery): Ed Oliver, 18, who works for  Hallworth Construction (Cheshire). The  Northwich company specialises in new build and employs up to 14 staff.  Ed joined the company on leaving school and is one of five apprentices to have completed qualifications at Reaseheath.

 

Best Horticulture Apprentice: Marcus Burke, 25, of Runcorn, a member of the landscape services team at Halton Borough Council. Marcus is one of a team who maintain the borough’s  green spaces including showpiece flower beds and parks in Runcorn and Widnes. Reaseheath trains apprentices for many local authorities including Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council .

 

Best Food Apprentice:  Stephen Halliwell, 30, a blending operator with Aimia Foods

 

Certificates of Excellence:

Sam Lindop (Smilers Building and Groundwork)

Matthew Williams (Ewson Contractors)

Ben Hardwick ((J C Building Service)

Danny Lucock (Halton Borough Council)

Chris Smith (Halton Borough Council)

Jon Hetherington (Halton Borough Council)

 

Certificates of Endeavour:

Matthew Canner ((A & M Construction)

Tom Spibey (R S Developments Construction)

Darren Huxley (Hill Cross Joinery Ltd)

 

Certificates for Outstanding Achievement:

Rod Hughes (Holdcroft and Sons)

Joe Hughes (Holdcroft and Sons)

 

For further details of apprenticeships contact Reaseheath’s Workforce Development team: 01270 613257

 

 

Degree students are inspired by zoological evaluation practices

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On the 3rd March, Cassandra Murray, Evaluation Coordinator from the Zoological Society of London came to visit the Reaseheath Animal Management Department to work with our second year FdSc Zoo Management students. Cassandra worked with students throughout the day focusing on the  importance of visitor surveys and how they can influence decision making within zoos. The students took part in lectures and workshops and created their own visitor survey. They carried out the survey on campus looking into what our current staff and students think of our zoo and how they would like to see it develop. The students are hopefully going to be carrying on with their visitor surveys during the Easter and summer holidays, to find out what the general public think of the Reaseheath Zoo.

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This research can then potentially be used to influence future decision making regarding the Reaseheath Zoo.

Visitor surveys are becoming common practice in zoos and  help influence decision making in a variety of ways; from enclosure design to signage and the utilisation of  funding to name just a few examples. Visitor surveys can provide us with a sound basis for monitoring performance and are useful for future marketing planning and development. This is a new proficiency that our degree students are enthusiastically running with, which is great news for the Reaseheath Zoo!

Kizzy Beaumont

Lecturer in Animal Management

Global eco experience for Reaseheath Countryside students

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Eight first year students from Reaseheath College’s Countryside department are to join environmental projects abroad as part of their summer training.

The students, who are studying for their Level 3 Diploma in Conservation and Wildlife Management at the Nantwich college, will gain practical experience in eco-tourism and in conservation, environmental, and woodland management during a four week funded work placement.

They won the opportunity after successfully applying to Grampus Heritage and Training Ltd., a non-profit making organisation which aims to give UK students and young workers the management experience and practical skills required by the environmental industry. All Reaseheath’s students gained placements against strong competition from applicants from colleges nationwide.

Adam Bailey-Rimmer, 17, from Manchester, Alice Hardwell, 16, from Wrexham and Floris Stoter, 28, from Liverpool, are going to Skálanes Nature Reserve in East Iceland, where they will help to create a centre for Icelandic environment and cultural history. The centre will also be a model for sustainable tourism.

Alice Martin, 16, from Aberystwyth, and  Jasmine  Salmon, 18, from Ellesmere Port,  are off to the Czech Republic to study organic horticulture and permaculture systems. They will be based at Apple Farm, a sustainable small-holding 100 miles east of Prague which aims to teach sustainability, self-sufficiency and education.

John Humphreys, 26, from Wirral, and Richard Laurence, 27, from Nantwich, will join Hylates Limited, an eco-tourism company which is developing environmentally friendly facilities for visitors in Cyprus. Cyprus has a very fragile natural environment which is under pressure from developers. During their placement the two students will try to find sustainable and local solutions which will maintain and improve biodiversity.

Rhys Donnell, 17, from Clwyd  will join preparations for the annual woodfest in the  Dübener Heide Naturpark, Germany, and will also carry out practical nature conservation including heathland and forest management, working at a village arboretum, making interpretation boards and joining school conservation projects.

All students on the Level 3 Diploma have already completed one month’s work experience this year with leading countryside bodies like the National Trust.

Programme Leader for Countryside Siobhan Smyth said: “This experience will greatly enhance our students’ CVs as they will be engaging with conservation industries across Europe and learning the skills which employers look for. They will also learn how other cultures operate, which is only something you can learn by experience.”

Richard Laurence, 27, who hopes eventually to set up his own environmental business, said: “This is a brilliant placement where we will be using local materials and methods to aid public access to heritage sites. I’m looking forward to it very much. It’ll give me valuable experience and some real skills which I can use to take my career forward.”

If you would like to find out more about the Level 3 Diploma in Conservation and Wildlife Management as well as our other Countryside courses please visit the Countryside section on our website.

Young gardeners get the plot

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Pupils from Watermill School in Stoke on Trent have been learning horticultural skills as part of our successful Vocational Opportunities Programme for 14 to 16 year-olds.

We have worked in partnership with Watermill, which caters for pupils with needs related to cognition and learning, for around six years. It is always a pleasure to welcome these pupils on site, as they respond so positively to learning practical skills out of doors.

Many successfully gain their City & Guilds Level 1 Certificate in Practical Horticulture Skills and a few have progressed onto one of our Foundation programmes.

Said Reaseheath’s Pre-16 Learning Manager Graham Morgan: “This is a fantastic opportunity for young people in their final two years at school to receive a practical, work-related experience as part of the Key Stage 4 curriculum. It’s an opportunity for them to do something different from the subjects they are offered at school and to benefit from the facilities and expertise which Reaseheath can offer.’’

A total of over 300 school pupils aged between 14 and 16 study at Reaseheath on a weekly basis on our Vocational Opportunities Programme. They can choose to study horse care, horticulture, agriculture, construction, motor vehicle, animal care, food studies or adventure sports while continuing to study for conventional GCSEs.

For more information on our courses for students aged 14-16 visit: www.reaseheath.ac.uk/14-16-students.

 

Bluebell meets her Beau!

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February is adopt a rescue rabbit month so we are encouraging owners of single rabbits to go out and find a companion for their rabbit.

Rabbits are social animals and should  be kept with a companion but unfortunately many spend their lives in solitary confinement stuck at the end of the garden in a hutch lonely, bored and ignored once the novelty of the new pet has worn off!  Rabbits are often recommended as good pets for children when in fact they are not as they can be difficult to handle and kick out with their large, powerful back legs resulting in the rabbit being dropped and injury to the animal.  Its always best to interact with your rabbit on ground level and leave the handling for important health checks, grooming, nail clipping and vet visits.

Rabbits love to snuggle together, groom each other, run and binky (a joyful leap into the air, with a twist of the body) together.  A lot of rabbits are denied these social interactions.

Rabbits are social and inquisitive animals that should have much more than a hutch to live in.  The minimum requirement  for two rabbits is a 6x2x2 hutch with an 8×4 run but garden sheds and play houses are often much better as they are much more spacious. Unfortunately many pet shops sell accommodation way too small and many rabbits become obese and  develop health problems due to lack of exercise and stimulation in these ‘prisons’.

Rescue centres are full of rabbits looking to find loving homes and rabbits from a good rescue centre will already come neutered and vaccinated. In 2012 the statistics stood at 67,000 rabbits passed through rescue in the UK.  This problem comes from the casual breeding of rabbits by owners, breeders and some pet shops.

You should never attempt to introduce two rabbits that are not neutered and the introduction should be done on neutral territory with supervision and a male/ female combination is best.  Rescue centres will normally help with the bonding process as it can be difficult.

Bluebell and Beau are a great example of two lone rabbits that have found friendship with each other.  Beau came to us from the RSPCA, he was a stray bunny who had probably been abandoned or escaped from someone’s garden.  Introducing bunnies can be a difficult process but with Bluebell and Beau it was pretty much love at first sight.  Both Bluebell and Beau were neutered before the introduction which  was done on a neutral territory as this stops the rabbits wanting to defend their own territory.  After a little bit of chasing each other round Bluebell and Beau seemed to accept each other’s company and become firm friends.  It’s great to see them snuggled up together and enjoying each other’s company.  It’s important to mention though that not all introductions go this successfully and can take a lot longer, that is why it’s important to seek advice before attempting it.

Reaseheath College supports the neutering and vaccinating of rabbits and does not support the casual breeding of rabbits. For further information about rabbit care email Emma Hunt on emmah@reaseheath.ac.uk or contact your nearest animal rescue centre 

 

Reaseheath College’s home baking challenge hots up

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Reaseheath College’s challenge to find the region’s best Year 9 baker is hotting up as the semi finals draw to a close.

Nick Blakemore and Hannah Morris with her heart shaped engagement cake

Nick Blakemore and Hannah Morris with her heart shaped engagement cake

The 45 entries which made the second round of Reaseheath’s Year 9 Schools Bake Off Competition have been whittled down to ten finalists. Teams of food technologists from the Nantwich college’s Food Centre made the selection after visiting 15 schools throughout Cheshire, Staffordshire, Manchester, Wirral and mid Wales to view and taste the cakes and to test the knowledge of the young bakers.

The finalists will recreate their cakes in front of a panel of celebrities in a grand finale at Reaseheath’s Food Centre on Thursday March 20. The judges will include professional chef Brian Mellor, Cheshire WI judge Mary Hignett and Peter Wright, Chairman of Wrights Pies Food Group, which is sponsoring the competition.

The winner will receive £100 and two ipads for their school, and there are cash prizes for the second and third prizewinners.

Nick Blakemore and Julie Bent look at Bryony Bell’s Prince George christening cake

Nick Blakemore and Julie Bent look at Bryony Bell’s Prince George christening cake

Styled on the hit tv programme ‘The Great British Bake-Off’, Reaseheath College’s home baking competition has been a great hit and attracted initial entries from 42 secondary schools. Contestants had to produce a cake or pastry with a royal theme. The first round consisted of a mood board with photos of the finished product.

The competition has proved so popular that there are already plans to repeat it next year, this time with a savoury meat theme.

Food Curriculum Manager Nick Blakemore, who led the project, said: “We have been amazed by the novel ideas which the pupils have come up with. It has been a very hard job to select the final ten entries because each one had something to bring to the table.

“Apart from being fun, we hope that our competition will also introduce young people to the many career opportunities within the food industry.”

Reaseheath’s Food Centre was opened in 2011 and is one of the best equipped food processing teaching and practical facilities in Europe. Built to industry standards and staffed by a team of specialist food technologists, the facilities include dairy processing halls and production areas for butchery, bakery and confectionery.

Two of its most popular courses are its Level 2 and Level 3 Diplomas in Professional Bakery. A Level 2 Diploma in Professional Butchery launches in September.

Dia Alwaa shows off her Victoria sponge cake to Nick Blakemore and Reaseheath’s Food Training and Communications Co-ordinator Julie Bent

Dia Alwaa shows off her Victoria sponge cake to Nick Blakemore and Reaseheath’s Food Training and Communications Co-ordinator Julie Bent

If you would like more information about our Professional Bakery and Butchery courses please click on the links below:

 

 

Lambs herald Spring at Reaseheath College

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Hundreds of families flocked to Reaseheath College in Nantwich over the weekend for the first of two lambing events.

Spring has arrived early in the college’s lambing sheds with the arrival of the first lambs of the season. Visitors were able to meet the newborns and some were lucky enough to experience a live birth. The campus zoo, which is one of the best at any educational institution in the country, was also open to the public. Both attractions will open again next weekend – March 8 and 9.

Reaseheath’s lambing weekends have been a community highlight for over 20 years. The college has a flock of 500 sheep which are expected to produce 1,000 lambs over a three week period.

As well as meeting the ewes and their new families, visitors were able to watch a big screen showing highlights of the action and watch experts demonstrating the special care required for the delivery and care of the lambs.

Reaseheath’s sheep unit manager Ollie Bagley, 21, a former Level 3 Extended Diploma in Agriculture student, has been overseeing the births helped by lambing assistants Chris Adamson and Callum Pitchford and a rota of students who are gaining practical experience in the lambing sheds.

Ollie said: “Lambing is traditionally the first sign of spring and this event is always very popular, with some visitors returning year after year. Opening the lambing sheds gives us the chance to show what we do here and it’ll be even better next weekend because we’ll have even more lambs. As well giving the public the unique experience of seeing lambs being born, it is also a great opportunity for us to educate them about the farming calendar.”

Carys Williams, aged 8, from Sandbach, has been to Reaseheath’s lambing event for the last four years. She said: “It’s been really fun. I love coming to see the lambs and it’s just the best when you get one to hold.”

There were also plenty of activities at Reaseheath’s zoo, which houses over 1,000 animals including meerkats, lemurs, tapirs, otters, birds of prey, companion animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs, reptiles and amphibians. There were children’s arts and craft sessions and other fun activities along with educational talks by Reaseheath zoo keepers.

 

Reaseheath appeals to businesses to take on an apprentice

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Reaseheath College is appealing to employers to get in touch during this week’s National Apprenticeships Week (March 3-7)

The Nantwich college is currently training 537 apprentices, most of whom spend one day a week in lectures and the rest of the week gaining skills and experience in a paid job.

The programme is so popular with young people that the college needs more businesses to take them on.

Peter Knight

Peter Knight

Peter Knight, Welfare Officer for Reaseheath’s work based learning team, is holding a drop-in apprenticeships surgery every day this week between 12 noon and 2pm in Centrepoint, the college’s main reception.

Although anyone interested in applying for apprenticeships is welcome, Peter is particularly keen to talk to employers about the benefits of recruiting an apprentice and about the financial incentives available to qualifying businesses.

He said: “Taking on an apprentice can benefit a business in many ways. Having an enthusiastic and newly skilled person on your team can increase productivity and the quality of output. Training up a young person with the specific skills required by your business means you can avoid skills shortages later on. And for the apprentice it means earning and learning at the same time.”

Reaseheath offers apprenticeships in agriculture, animal care, horse care, construction, construction plant, motor vehicle, parts sales and marketing, mechanical engineering, food manufacture, horticulture, floristry and trees and timber.

Further information: 01270 613242, E: enquiries@reaseheath.ac.uk or see www.reaseheath.ac.uk/naw

Equestrians take on Olympic style challenge at Reaseheath

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Arena party Steph Hamilton, Becky Erskine, Sonia Laughton, Amelia Kenyon, Hannah Luke and Emily Cockerill join Bob Ellis and Geoff Billington

Arena party Steph Hamilton, Becky Erskine, Sonia Laughton, Amelia Kenyon, Hannah Luke and Emily Cockerill join Bob Ellis and Geoff Billington.

Two World class equestrian personalities offered a unique insight into Olympic sport during a masterclass at Reaseheath College’s Equestrian Centre last week.

Several hundred visitors and equine students from several colleges watched as Nantwich based showjumper Geoff Billington, who has represented GB at two Olympics and three European Games, pitted his wits against international and Olympic course designer Bob Ellis.

Bob, who was the leading course designer for the London Olympics 2012 and regularly designs courses worldwide, challenged Geoff to jump Olympic size fences on his advanced show jumper Cruise Control.

Geoff, who was an individual and team medal winner with his horse of a lifetime, Virtual Village It’s Otto, also demonstrated the early training of a novice show jumper. Both equestrians described their life story and Olympic experiences, outlining the hard work and dedication it takes to compete on a world class stage.

Earlier in the day they gave a lecture to 80 equine students in Reaseheath’s dedicated Higher Education and Business Centre. As well as describing their own journey to the top, their presentation described the development of show jumping and the career opportunities available in the equine industry and the skills which the students would require to get a rewarding job.

Reaseheath’s equine department has strong industry links and the lecture was just one of a number of events aimed at giving students an insight into potential careers. Reaseheath equine students have worked with Bob Ellis for several years to provide the arena party at the Horse of the Year Show and Bob regularly visits the college to inspire the students and help them run their own shows.

Equine event specialist Alan Beaumont Management, which organised the event, is a supporter of Reaseheath and mentors the students at the Bolesworth Classic showjumping event where they provide the arena party. Geoff Billington has also shown interest in developing training opportunities with the college.

Said Geoff: “I very much enjoyed working with Reaseheath College. The students were very enthusiastic, took an interest in the subject and were keen to learn. I was delighted at the number of visitors who said that they had enjoyed the event. We tried to offer something which was a bit different and brought fun to a serious subject.”