From horticulture student to world class landscaper

19 August 2015/in Alumni news, Reaseheath News/by Sophie Tatton

Talented Reaseheath College trained landscape gardener Matt Beesley has proved he is among the world’s best by taking silver at the WorldSkills finals in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Matt, from Winsford, and fellow team member Jonathan Gill, from Northern Ireland, achieved Britain’s first ever medal in landscape gardening at the global, Olympics style final. The pair had to prove their skills and stamina in hard landscaping, plant knowledge and management by building a garden from scratch in four days under the gaze of 259,000 spectators.

WorldSkills runs the competition bi-annually for students aged 23 and under to showcase the skills and value of young professionals in industries ranging from construction, engineering technology and transportation to IT, communications and social and personal services. The GB team recorded its best ever performance with 33 medals.

WorldSkills Sao Paulo closing Ceremony Team UK Matt Beesley with Rianne Chester

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.

The former Hartford High School pupil said: “Winning silver in the world finals has been the best experience of my life. The whole WorldSkills programme has been awesome. 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, and my parents for their support.”

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

Header caption: Matt Beesley (right) and Jonathan Gill celebrate at the WorldSkills finals in Sao Paulo

Reaseheath College welcomes royal visitor at Cheshire Show

26 June 2015/in Reaseheath News/by Liz Green

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.

Talented landscaper to represent GB in world finals

10 June 2015/in Alumni news/by Sophie Tatton

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

Matt, 21, completed his Level 3 Extended Diploma in Horticulture 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.

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 benefiting the students through training and helping them to realise their potential.”

Inspirational alumnus recognised with award

15 January 2015/in Alumni news/by Sophie Tatton

An inspirational mother of four who travelled from Luton to Reaseheath weekly to study for a new career has been recognised for her outstanding commitment.

Damaris Kuria received a £500 Open College Network West Midlands Region (OCNWMR) ‘Access to Higher Education’ Learner Award after being nominated by her tutors.

Gilly Hughes and Damaris Kuria win Access to Higher Education top students' accolade at Reaseheath Further Education Awards Ceremony 2014

Gilly Hughes and Damaris Kuria receive Reaseheath College Access to Higher Education top students’ accolade at Reaseheath Further Education Awards Ceremony 2014

The former finance assistant, who used our Access to Higher Education Diploma to boost her knowledge in farming, is now studying for a BSc Business Management (International Food and Agri-Business) at the Royal Agricultural University. She hopes to return to her native Kenya to run her own farm and to use her expertise in business finance and agriculture to work with African farmers.

Damaris, a mature student who returned to education after redundancy, chose agriculture as she felt it offered a fulfilling career with plenty of opportunities. She made the hard choice to leave her husband and young family at home because she felt studying at Reaseheath would prepare her best for her degree. Despite her family commitments, she achieved exceptionally high marks and an attendance record of nearly 100%.

Said Damaris: “While I was at Reaseheath I learned a lot about 21^st century farming and I’m enjoying studying it in greater depth.

“Although adjusting to the college environment, being with new people and living in student accommodation was a challenge at first, I was hugely supported by my partner, the college staff and fellow students. Everyone went out of their way to make me feel at home. My degree studies are going well and I’m enjoying every part of the course.”

Our Access to Higher Education Diploma prepares mature students for degree level study.

Find out more information about studying for a degree at Reaseheath here.

Tattenhall blacksmith forges his mark on village

31 December 2014/in Alumni news, Uncategorized/by Sophie Tatton

Talented Blacksmith Andrew Smith helped Tattenhall commemorate the centenary of the First World War with a fitting sculpture.

Andrew, a former Reaseheath engineering student, was commissioned by Tattenhall and District Parish Council to create a steel ‘Horse of War’ sculpture as part of Tattenhall Remembers, the village’s community event marking the centennial year. Having previously been commissioned to update Tattenhall’s village sign, Andrew was delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to the community once again.

Christened ‘George’ by local primary school pupils, the horse was unveiled to crowds by the Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire, David Briggs MBE, K.St.J., on Monday 4th August. George has now taken permanent residence adjacent to the Tattenhall War Memorial.

Andrew studied on the City and Guild’s ‘015’ agricultural engineering and farm mechanisation course 1978-79, back in the days when we were known as the ‘Cheshire College of Agriculture’. Speaking fondly of his time at college, Andrew commented: “College provided me with a great set of skills and grounding in the basics of engineering, which has certainly stayed with me as I’ve progressed in my career. One thing we made as part of the course was a toolbox – and I actually still use that to this day. I also made a drawbar to put on a trailer or back of a car, I’ve still got that too – some things are truly timeless!”

With an interest in the blacksmith’s craft from a young age, Andrew spent much of his early career researching, self-teaching and essentially ‘working and learning’ simultaneously to build up his forging techniques and skills.

After working in the agricultural industry for some time after finishing college, Andrew decided it was time to dedicate his workload to his passion. He built his own blacksmith workshop and has now been running his own business at Hill View Forge for 28 years.

You can find out more about the history of Tattenhall and the Tattenhall Rememebers event by visiting the Tattenhall and district local history website.

A thoroughly foodie wedding

16 December 2014/in Alumni news/by Sophie Tatton

We are delighted to announce the food department’s first wedding – James Yuill and Rachel Frankish, who tied the knot on November 1st .

James joined Reaseheath in Key Stage Four as a young apprentice and Rachel joined the food technology diploma group a couple of years later.

They both enrolled on the Foundation Degree in Food Technology with Management at Reaseheath in September 2010 and their friendship blossomed into romance in January 2011.

James and Rachel cut their wedding cake – designed by cake decorating expert and alumnus Sam Copeland

On October 13^th2012, James proposed (on bended knee) in front of family and friends at Rachel’s birthday meal. The tears flowed as much as the wine – especially when she accepted!

The whole department waited with anticipation for the wedding date. But they were just too busy studying and researching! Their studies came to an end though and they both gained their BSc (Hons) in Food Technology with Management in September 2013. James started a new position at Carton Lodge Cheese and the couple moved to Clitheroe. Rachel has since secured a position at Farmers Fayre.

Wedding plans started with gusto and the couple booked Reaseheath Hall for their ceremony. They said they wouldn’t want to be married anywhere else. It was a gorgeous ceremony for two outstanding people who have made Reaseheath proud. The couples family, friends and Reaseheath lecturers attended and a good time was has by all! (and Sam did the cake!!)

We wish James and Rachel all the very best as they start their married life together.

Sam Copeland

Lecturer and Course Manager, Level 2 Diploma Bakery and Patisserie

If you’re interested in cake decorating and are impressed by Sam’s cake decorating skills – take a look at our new Professional Cake Decorating course starting in February 2015.

Travel savvy sheep shearer shares tips on working abroad

19 November 2014/in Alumni news/by Sophie Tatton

Agriculture alumnus Nick Greaves visited the agriculture department last week to share some great tips with our current students on travelling and working abroad.

Adam Henson talks to Nick Greaves during Countryfile filming at Reaseheath in 2013

Adam Henson talks to agriculture student Nick Greaves during Countryfile filming at Reaseheath in 2013

Nick, 20, studied on our Level 3 Extended Diploma in Agriculture. On achieving a Distinction in 2013, he began his shearing travels in Norway and then moved on to New Zealand and travelled in Australia.

Back in the UK for a short break, Nick has most recently been working as a shepherd on a 4500 pedigree sheep farm out in New Zealand.

He returns to New Zealand to begin his latest assignment as a shearer for Woolqual, based in Hawke’s Bay.

Nick Greaves L3 Ex Dip Agriculture visits Reaseheath 1MB

Agriculture alumnus Nick Greaves during his visit back to Reaseheath College

Nick plans to spend the next few years shearing all around the world. He is keen to continue to gain knowledge of different farm enterprises before returning to the UK to take over the running of his family farm in Stafford.

It’s great to see Nick doing so well and encouraging our current students to strive for their career goals.

As our alumni community grows, we are keen to continue to highlight the successes of our former students.

If would like to come back to the College to share your industry experience with our current students, please contact us on alumni@reaseheath.ac.uk or +44 (0)1270 613219.

Wise shepherd achieves her farming dream

5 November 2014/in Alumni news/by Sophie Tatton

Agriculture graduate Caroline Jellicoe took the plunge and moved to Cumbria to manage her own own sheep farm having completed her degree at Reaseheath.

Caroline was inspired back to education after visiting the Nantwich campus with her children during lambing season back in 2010.

Coming from a background in zoo keeping, Caroline has worked with a range of exotic animals in her career so far, but was keen to expand her knowledge of the farming industry.

Caroline prepared for her degree by completing an Access to Higher Education Diploma at Reaseheath, where she found her passion for sheep farming.

During the second year of her degree, Caroline bought an acre of land along with six zwartbles shearling pedigree sheep and a ram called Mr Gibbs. The 27th February 2014 saw the ewes give birth to Caroline’s first flock of lambs.

Toba, Caroline’s youngest and most enthusiastic farm hand

She commented, “It was a long road to get to the of point of having my own flock of sheep – but it was all worth it.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the support of the Farm Manager Mark Yearsley and other staff, along with the opportunity to gain experience working on the College farm during my time at Reaseheath. This all helped me on my way to achieve my dream of owning my own sheep flock.”

On looking to the future Caroline said, “I am always looking for more land. I only wanted a few sheep at first, but since I visited a friend’s farm in Yorkshire and falling in love with it, I decided I would dream BIG – I am aiming for 1,000 sheep now. In one year I have gone from no sheep to 40 and I intend to grow and grow.”

With her experience working with exotic animals, Caroline is also the proud owner of an eagle owl, barn owl, tortoise, bearded dragons and goats. As a diversification programme to her flock business, she has set up a new enterprise ‘The Three Wise Shepherds’, a programme of educational talks with her variety of animals. She has also begun to take the animals to children’s parties for petting along with ‘meet and greet’ experiences for children and adults of all ages.

Caroline has graduated from Reaseheath in 2014 with a Distinction in her Foundation Degree and celebrated her success along with fellow classmates at our graduation ceremony at St Mary’s Church in Nantwich. In December 2014 Caroline moved to a fell farm in Cumbria, where she now manages 200 herdwick ewes plus her own zwartbles flock.

If you would like to find out more about Caroline and her growing business ‘The Three Wise Shepherds’, follow her twitter handle @sheepstudent.

Chris Budd – BSc (Hons) Food Technology

1 August 2014/in Alumni news/by Sophie Tatton

BSc (Hons) Food Industry with Management graduate Chris Budd is excelling in the food industry after completing his studies at Reaseheath.

Chris studied at Reaseheath for six years, beginning with a Level 3 National Diploma in Food Manufacturing and Nutrition, progressing on to a Foundation Degree and finally ‘topping-up’ to graduate with a 2:1 in his BSc (Hons) in Food Industry and Management.

During his time at Reaseheath, Chris gained invaluable experience both on campus and out in industry, working in creameries and retail professionals.

After completing his degree, Chris successfully landed a job within the Samworth Brothers Group in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, as a Process Development Technologist at Kettleby Foods. His role involved supporting all departments in the concept, trialling and launching of high quality ready-meals for retail.

Chris commented, “working in the ‘Fast Moving Consumer Goods’ (FMCG) industry has its challenges, but offers great variation, from attending customer panels, to managing factory trials, to visiting suppliers – which ensures no day is ever the same”.

“I believe that I had the best preparation I could have from Reaseheath, and I am confident that the skills and knowledge gained has set me up for a long and prosperous career in the food industry.”

Chris has recently progressed in his career further, securing a new job as a Product Development Manager at Covent Garden Soup Company.

You can find out more about degrees in food at Reaseheath here.

A great day at the Nantwich Show

31 July 2014/in Alumni news, Reaseheath News/by Liz Green

What a great Nantwich Show it proved to be this year! It was great to meet up with so many industry partners and current and ex students at our local show. Our stand which was awarded second in the Trade Stand Competition, was really busy with visitors.

Pictured to the left is Alumni Officer Katie Burt with Ian Bates, a student in the 1970s who now runs his own feed supplements business, Stock-Pride Nutrition Ltd.

We were delighted to be awarded two awards in the Nantwich International Cheese Show. Our Cheshire cheese took silver in a highly contested class for Novice Cheesemakers and our Derby cheese was awarded bronze in the specialist cheesemaker section. Both cheeses were made by our Year 2 Eden students and weighed 20kg.

This was a great accolade for our students, as this show is truly the best of the best, with 4,400 cheeses entered from 23 countries! Staff from our Food Centre stewarded for the judges.

Here’s Food Technologists Andrea Winkler, Jane Gilman and Penny Masters with our award winning cheeses.

Three of our Bakery and Patisserie students had a great experience assisting celebrity chefs James Martin, Will Holland, Jonathan Harrison and Sean Wilson during their cooking demonstrations. Cedric Mandaya and Jordan Slawinski have just finished their Level 3 course and are off to find jobs while Aaron Dixon is moving onto Level 3 from Level 2 in September.

Here they are with James Martin.

We also had success showing youngstock from the Reaseheath Holstein dairy herd – our students came away with five rosettes!

Kirsty Taylor won a heifer class with Reaseheath Fever Marissa and Liberty Turner with Reaseheath Fever Livorno came second.

Becky Harper won the handler class (21 -26 yrs) while Kirsty took second and Liberty was third in the handler class (17 – 20 yrs)

We also showed three lambs in the butchers lamb class.

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