GrassRoots Edition 17 - Reaseheath College

COLLEGE 

The latest news from Reaseheath College issue 17 

Reaseheath takes the lead 

on regional regeneration 

Reaseheath has been awarded a multimillion 

pound grant to expand its 

services to north west businesses. 

The £4.7 million award, from the North West 

Regional Development Agency, will enable us to 

create a regional centre for specialist expertise 

and support which will encourage business 

growth and diversification. 

An Enterprise Delivery Hub will offer a pool of 

expertise and resources to regional businesses, 

particularly those within the agricultural and food 

production and processing industries. 

Around £2 million of the grant is being 

invested into world class facilities for our food 

manufacturing and processing department. 

Food manufacturers will be encouraged to 

use the facilities for product development and 

starter incubation units will be built for new 

food producers. 

Part of our remit is to keep business people 

better informed by ensuring that the latest 

research and development findings are easily 

available. The funding will support two new 

posts for experts in knowledge and technology 

transfer. Another focus will be sustainability. 

Farmers will continue to access the 

latest thinking and learn new skills through 

free demonstrations and masterclasses 

offered through the Reaseheath Agricultural 

Development Academy (RADA). 

Steven Broomhead, Chief Executive of the 

NWDA, said: “Businesses in rural areas can 

find it difficult to access the support they need. 

The state-of-the-art facilities being built at 

Reaseheath are a great step forward in helping 

the rural food and drink sector to develop and 

diversify their products. 

“It is wonderful to see work starting on a 

project which will provide real opportunities for 

businesses in rural areas, encouraging them 

to grow and boost their productivity. It will also 

inspire new enterprise across the region.” 

Reaseheath Principal Meredydd David added: 

“Our mission majors on rural business and 

communities and this wonderful investment 

from the NWDA will enable us to continue to 

provide specialist support and knowledge and 

technology transfer to these industries. This will 

help the region to maintain competitiveness and 

profitability during these challenging times.” 

Steven Broomhead and Meredydd David begin 

the food hall refurbishment 

CLAAS act 

Reaseheath Engineering has become the 

nationwide apprentice trainer for CLAAS UK. 

Our engineering department is now the 

preferred trainer for four of the six major 

manufacturers in the country. We already 

provide tailormade apprentice training for 

Case New Holland, JCB and A Plant, along 

with many smaller companies. 

With the addition of 30 CLAAS trainees, 

Reaseheath Engineering will train a total of 

160 agricultural engineering apprentices 

and 150 construction plant apprentices. All 

work in the industry but attend college on a 

block release basis to gain qualifications. 

The department also has 166 full time 

engineering students, plus a further 30 who 

are studying management at degree level. An 

additional 143 pupils from local schools are 

working towards their Diploma in Engineering 

or on the Land Rover Young Apprenticeship in 

our dedicated Engineering Academy. 

These impressive figures put Reaseheath 

Engineering well in the lead as the most 

successful trainer in the country. 

CLAAS is one of the six major players in 

the European agricultural machinery industry 

and has more than 80 outlets in the UK. The 

company will provide the department with 

the latest models of tractors and combine 

harvesters as training aids. 

Reaseheath’s Head of Engineering Melvin 

Johnson said: “CLAAS is a very forward thinking 

and inspirational organisation. The company 

is one of the leaders in the field of mechanised 

harvesting. It has similar values to Reaseheath 

in that it provides a top class service which 

prides itself on quality and excellence.” 

New apprentices, master 

technicians and staff pay us a visit 

John Palmer, Training Manager CLAAS 

UK, said: “We chose to enter into this new 

partnership because Reaseheath Engineering 

is one of the most respected land based 

training centres in the UK. 

“We were impressed because the 

department already offers a similar training 

service to Case New Holland and JCB. We 

are keen to collaborate with all parties so that 

we get a common standard which will benefit 

the industry as a whole.” 

www.reaseheath.ac.uk l 01270 625131

Reaseheath looking to broaden horizons 

fact finding mission to China by our 

A Principal, Meredydd David, may result in 

us attracting more international students. 

Meredydd visited Huijia University, a 

successful private university in Beijing, to 

discuss whether we could help them develop 

progression routes to Honours Degree top up 

programmes at Reaseheath. The discussions 

concentrated mainly on the fast growing areas of 

equestrian, golf and leisure management. 

One possibility would be that of Huijia’s 

students travelling to the UK to top up their 

qualification with a Reaseheath degree. There 

could be opportunities for staff and student 

to take part in exchange visits and for cooperation 

in other training areas as well. 

Said Meredydd: “Huijia University is very 

keen to work with us in further developing their 

programmes. This is at a very early stage, 

however, and will require a lot of thought and 

planning if we are to take this partnership 

opportunity forward. 

“The next step will be discussions with 

Reaseheath curriculum managers and the 

college management team prior to any 

agreements and commitments being made.” 

Reaseheath is developing national and 

international contracts which is a reflection 

of its status as one of the best land-based 

colleges in the country. 

Our University partner, Harper Adams 

University College, has developed a successful 

partnership with Beijing Agricultural University. 

Around 70 third year Chinese undergraduates 

study at Harper each year. We have worked 

closely with Harper colleagues to promote 

Reaseheath to like-minded institutions in China. 

Huijia is one of the largest and most successful 

universities in the private sector and has 4,500 

fee paying residential students studying for 

qualifications equivalent to our foundation degree 

programmes. The company also runs private 

nurseries, primary and secondary schools and a 

vocational college. 

See www.hju.org.cn 

Outstanding 

again! 

This seventeenth edition of 

Grass Roots is once again full of 

the wonderful successes of our 

students and staff. 

I never cease to be amazed 

by the diversity of our work and 

our tremendous achievements 

in every area. Through driving 

for excellence in all we do, and 

by ensuring that we focus on 

delivering the best experience 

possible to our students, clients 

and customers, we continue to gain 

more prestigious national contracts. 

Our students’ achievements 

and success equal the best in 

the country and, because of this, 

we continue to gain prestigious 

accolades. 

The recession and its impact on 

the communities and industries 

we serve means we now deliver a 

number of initiatives and projects 

geared at re-skilling and up-skilling 

people so they are competitive in 

the jobs market. We have articles 

on these within this edition. 

Finally, the LSC has recently 

introduced the Framework for 

Excellence that is designed to 

measure a college’s success 

compared to others in the 

country. Reaseheath gained 

OUTSTANDING in every category. 

I congratulate and applaud the 

whole team at Reaseheath who 

have contributed massively to 

this continuing success and have 

made this happen. 

Meredydd David 

Work continues on new build 

Our £51 million capital 

investment programme 

continues to bring world 

class technical and 

educational facilities across 

campus. The investment 

reflects our continuing 

success and growth and 

underlines our commitment 

to maintaining our position 

as the premier specialist 

college in the country. 

Our unique food and dairy 

processing plant is currently 

undergoing a £6 million 

refurbishment, partly paid for by 

NWDA funding (see front page). 

Our students and staff are 

enjoying 21st century facilities 

provided by the eight major 

new buildings which have 

been completed as part of our 

ongoing project. 

These include: 

• learning skills and student 

services centre 

• IT Centre 

• animal management 

teaching centre 

• purpose built construction 

workshops 

• dedicated Engineering Skills 

Academy 

• equine centre upgrade 

including international 

standard indoor riding arena 

and round pen for natural 

horsemanship 

• Two halls of residence 

The construction of a 

futuristic Student Hub, offering 

dining facilities and leisure 

areas, is planned. Also in the 

build schedule are new facilities 

for our adventure sports, 

countryside, horticulture and 

sports turf departments. 

NEW Learning Skills Centre 

NEW Indoor riding school 

2 

COLLEGE

It’s RAG time! 

Our big-hearted students 

and staff have been 

raising funds for this year’s 

RAG Charity BIRD (Centre for 

Brain Injury Rehabilitation and 

Development) - and having a 

ball while doing so! 

Events in RAG (Raising and 

Giving) week included a raft race 

across the college lake (won by 

a team from adventure sports), a 

staff versus student football match, 

a fancy dress pub crawl and a 

tractor pull, which involved towing 

a tractor over a measured distance 

against the clock. The tractor pull 

was sponsored by Case IH and 

won by a team of National Trust 

wardens and gardeners. 

Other challenges involved 

staying awake all night and a 32 

mile sponsored walk along the 

Sandstone Trail organised by 

Reaseheath Walking Club. 

At the end of RAG week the 

total raised had reached £7,461 

- well on the way to reach the 

£10,000-plus target. 

Hayley Juniper, Student 

Association President said: “RAG 

week is a great opportunity for 

students to let their hair down 

and have a great time. It’s also 

a fun way to be raising funds for 

such a worthwhile local charity. 

We want to raise as much money 

for BIRD as possible. This is a 

cause that we hold close to our 

hearts. All staff and students are 

hoping that we can make this 

year’s fund raising exceptional!” 

Last year’s RAG appeal raised 

a record £10,116 for a Nantwich 

teenager paralysed by a brain 

haemorrhage. We have until the 

end of term to exceed this total. 

BIRD treats people with 

conditions such as Cerebral Palsy, 

communication disorders, autism, 

ADHD, epilepsy, dyslexia, dyspraxia, 

behavioural disorders, stroke and 

other neurological impairments. 

Equine students Abigail Mellor, Katie Poxon and Sophie Clarke take the 

strain in the tractor pull 

BIRD’s Practice Manager Helen 

Schielke said: “Thankfully we 

can nearly always improve the 

lives of the people who come to 

us; often to an amazing extent. 

The money generously raised by 

Reaseheath’s students and staff 

will directly help families from 

Cheshire who attend the centre. 

The total of funds raised by 

Reaseheath staff and students 

over the past 18 years is a 

massive £129,000 - all benefiting 

local charities. 

Marathon effort by Reaseheath runners 

Two Reaseheath runners who 

completed the Flora London 

Marathon at their first attempt 

raised nearly £3,500 for charity. 

Student Services Co-ordinator 

Mark Hardy ran the gruelling 26 

miles in six hours eight minutes. 

His efforts raised over £1,100 for 

Brain Injury Rehabilitation and 

Development (BIRD), this year’s 

RAG charity. 

Access to Higher Education 

student Una Clarke, who tackled 

the entire race in a polar bear 

outfit, raised £2,300 for the World 

Wildlife Fund. 

The footsore pair have vowed to 

enter again next year. 

Mark said: “The amazing 

atmosphere along the whole length 

of the course keeps you going. You 

get such a sense of achievement 

when you finish.” 

Una, who completed the 

course in a respectable eight 

hours 24 minutes, felt her headto-toe 

outfit had raised awareness 

of animals affected by climate 

change. She said: “This is such 

a serious cause. I wanted to 

highlight the issues of species 

whose habitat is disappearing, 

like the polar bear.” 

Una plans to continue onto our 

BSc Degree in Animal Behaviour 

and Welfare. 

Horticulture staff take to the water in the raft race 

Staff take on 

students on the 

football field 

Mark celebrates with his medal 

Una limbers up 

Karaoke 

Entry Level 1 students were in good voice for a well supported karaoke 

event which helped to raise funds for RAG and Comic Relief. 

Additional fund raising efforts, which included Entry Level 3 

student Paul Carter dressing up and a sale of gloves by Emma 

Bennett, raised a total of £446.24. 

www.reaseheath.ac.uk 

3

Young designer gets grafting for 

RHS Tatton 

Budding garden designer 

Lee Belgrau has won the 

chance to show off his skills 

at one of the country’s most 

prestigious horticultural shows. 

Lee, 20, a National Diploma 

in Horticulture student, has 

been selected by the Royal 

Horticultural Society to compete 

in the inaugural RHS Young 

Designer of the Year competition. 

Having secured his place in the 

competition, he will now bring his 

garden to life at the RHS Show 

Tatton Park (July 22-26) in this new 

category to showcase future talent. 

Lee will design and build his 

garden with a team of fellow 

young horticulture students. As 

well as coming under the critical 

eye of thousands of show visitors, 

the garden will be judged by the 

RHS against the same criteria as 

all other show gardens. 

Lee will build a contemporary 

style garden suitable for a young 

professional couple. 

He said: “I wanted to show 

cutting edge but simple design 

which is practical and suitable 

for installation in a new garden. 

I’ve got a lot of plant knowledge 

and practical experience from 

my course. I’m really excited to 

get the opportunity to show what 

I can do.” 

Lee has been a Reaseheath 

student for three years, 

progressing from the National 

Certificate in Horticulture to the 

National Diploma. He finds that 

the gardening industry allows him 

to work out of doors while using 

his interest in art and design. 

Tutor Louise Moss said: “It is 

Garden trip inspires students 

Students on our garden design 

and horticulture courses went 

behind the scenes at some of the 

best gardens in the south west 

during a study tour. 

The 46 strong group, aged 

from 17 to 83, enjoyed a guided 

tour around Hestercombe 

Gardens in Taunton, Somerset. 

The group visited a unique 

collection of three gardens 

spanning three centuries of 

garden history and design. 

They then moved on to 

the internationally famous 

Eden Project in Cornwall, 

taking in a guided tour of the 

Mediterranean biome and 

tropical gardens. Our students 

also visited the Lost Garden of 

Heligan, which has undergone 

a complete restoration after 

decades of neglect. 

Accommodation was at a hotel 

in St Austell, Cornwall, and the 

weather was so fine that some 

group members even ventured 

into the sea for a paddle! 

Many of our students will be 

involved in the design and build 

of our show garden at the RHS 

Show Tatton Park and found the 

trip inspirational. 

Students enjoy the Eden Project 

Budding designer 

Lee Belgrau 

great knowing we’ve produced a 

young designer who is on a par 

with the best in the industry.” 

Kris Hulewicz, show manager 

for the RHS Show Tatton Park 

explained: “We want to ensure 

the future of horticulture is 

bright, so we have created a 

specific platform to help young 

talent break into the competitive 

world of garden design. This 

unique opportunity will place 

raw talent alongside seasoned 

professionals, all working to the 

world-class standards expected 

at RHS shows.” 

A tour of key Welsh gardens, 

including the Botanical Gardens 

of Wales, is also planned. 

Hive of activity 

at RHS Tatton 

Hopes are high that 

our bee friendly 

garden will create a 

buzz at this year’s 

RHS Show Tatton Park. 

Horticulture and garden 

design students are to design 

and build an ‘Edible Trends’ 

show garden for BBC North 

West, demonstrating how 

gardening can benefit both 

humans and wildlife. 

Our community friendly plot 

will feature soft fruits, vegetables, 

nectar rich plants and flowers for 

the house. Most importantly it 

will contain vital food and shelter 

for our honey bees, which are 

dying out in large numbers. 

Our entry will be judged in the 

show garden category, so it will 

also be slick and contemporary 

and feature the abstract shapes 

and bold blocks of colour for 

which Reaseheath show gardens 

are famous. 

The garden will provide a base 

for filming by BBC North West 

and the public will be invited to 

meet their favourite presenters at 

the stand. This is the second year 

running that we have produced a 

show garden in partnership with 

BBC North West. 

We will also be running a host 

of family activities. Young visitors 

will be encouraged to make simple 

floristry designs, grow a salad 

bowl, create ‘five a day’ creatures 

out of vegetables and make 

homes for bats, birds and bees. 

Show manager Kris Hulewicz 

said: “Reaseheath’s show 

gardens and floral designs 

always make a big impression 

at the show. The college has 

nurtured some of the best talent 

in the North West who have gone 

on to exhibit their own gardens at 

Tatton Park. 

”I’m looking forward to see 

what they have planned for this 

year, especially the interactive 

feature for 

children 

and 

allotment 

themed 

show 

garden.” 

4 

COLLEGE

Students’ show helps brides to prepare 

Events management and 

floristry students combined 

forces to put on a successful 

wedding fayre. 

Our students are encouraged to 

get real-life retail and commercial 

experience and came up with 

the idea for a bridal event in 

Reaseheath’s main hall, itself a 

wedding venue. 

Over 300 brides to be and their 

relatives attended the show, which 

showcased 24 exhibitors offering 

wedding services and products. 

Our events management 

students organised the show , 

which included a fabulous catwalk 

fashion show. Advanced National 

Certificate in Floristry students 

created a mock wedding breakfast 

table where the tiered cake, 

individual favours, cocktail drinks 

and napkins were artfully made 

from flowers, ribbons and beads. 

The display was made of 

traditional garden flowers to reflect 

the theme of afternoon tea in the 

country. The flowers defied the 

recession and ticked environmental 

boxes by being relatively 

inexpensive and readily available. 

The florists also made hanging 

designs which are a very ‘now’ 

replacement for the traditional 

bridal posy. 

Last year our events 

management students ran a 

successful charity auction and 

dinner dance as part of their 

course. Organiser Lizzi Hough 

said: “We thought this year it 

would be a good idea to promote 

Reaseheath as a wedding venue 

and to support local businesses 

by giving them a stage on which 

to exhibit their products.” 

Reaseheath’s award winning 

floristry department offers a free, 

no obligation consultation service 

to prospective brides. Experts are 

available to advise on colour and 

bespoke design. 

Contact 01270 613185. 

Floristry students create a wedding breakfast from flowers 

Florists on song for more blooming success 

Jenny Barrow 

Top marks at 

WorldSkills UK 

Our landscapers and garden 

designers are also lining up for 

WorldSkills UK 2009 success. 

James Thomas and David 

Adamson won the intermediate 

section at the regional WorldSkills 

UK landscaping competition, held 

at the Malvern Gardening Show, 

Worcestershire. Mark Wood 

and Phil Johnson also pulled off 

an excellent third place in the 

advanced section. 

The students attend a 

range of our full and part-time 

horticulture courses. 

Said team trainer Clive Evans: 

“Our teams were competing 

against professional landscapers 

and other leading land-based 

colleges. The quality of their work 

was outstanding.” 

We are now waiting for the 

results of two more heats. Teams 

gaining the most points will 

qualify for the final in September. 

Our florists are aiming for another 

season in the medals. 

We have a reputation for 

producing top class, creative 

florists who have gone on to take 

national and international awards. 

Reaseheath’s floristry department 

has won top medals at the RHS 

Tatton Flower Show for five 

consecutive years and will be 

exhibiting again this year. 

Our students have already 

qualified for the final of the 

Society of Floristry College of the 

Year 2009 at Tatton. A team from 

our Advanced National Certificate 

in Floristry course will compete 

against four other top colleges. 

Hopes are high that our 

students will also feature 

prominently in the WorldSkills 

UK final, another Tatton highlight. 

Last year three of the 16 finalists 

were Reaseheath students. 

Jenny Barrow, 18, is already a 

strong contender after winning 

the intermediate section in one 

of the Worldskills regional heats. 

She now faces a wait to see if her 

marks are high enough to qualify 

her for one of the five places in 

the finals. 

Jenny was one of seven 

Reaseheath florists to compete 

in the regional heat, which was 

hosted by our college. A total of 

18 competitors from colleges and 

florist shops took part. 

The advanced section was 

won by Amy Drysdale, who 

successfully gained her NPTC 

level 4 floristry award with us 

last year. She is manageress of 

Fishlocks Floristry in Liverpool. 

The florists had to complete 

four set pieces - a bridal bouquet, 

a body adornment, a head-dress 

and a mystery item - all with 

an Oriental touch. Reaseheath 

florists Dawn Yoxall, Eleanor 

Bellwood and Elizabeth Murray 

were also in the intermediate 

section while Mandy Smith, 

Hayley Lewis and Jenny Brown 

represented us at advanced level. 

The Worldskills final will be 

held in London in 2011. Former 

Reaseheath floristry student 

Natalie Stanyer represented 

Britain at the last Worldskills final, 

which was held in Japan. 

Amy Drysdale 


5

Simon gains inspiration from internship 

Former sports turf student 

Simon Blagg has returned 

to the UK inspired after a year 

working in the industry in 

America. 

Simon made good use of our 

international links with the Ohio 

State University programme by 

gaining a seven months placement 

at the world famous Whistling 

Straights course, Wisconsin. He 

followed this with an educational 

seminar and then moved to the 

Doral Golf resort and Spa in 

Miami, which hosts the World Golf 

Championships every March. 

While at Whistling Straights, 

Simon joined a team of 38 

working on a naturally managed 

course which furthered his 

interests in sustainable golf. 

He was trained as the irrigation 

technician and put in charge 

of a comprehensive system of 

sprayers - necessary through 

the summer when temperatures 

reach 40C. However, winter 

months can drop to minus 40C 

and bring five foot of snow onto 

the fairways, making turf grass 

care a complicated science. 

Simon was involved with the 

whole course management 

system and was given the 

opportunity to manage the crew 

for two days. 

Meeting up with other interns 

at the annual seminar run by 

the Ohio State University was 

another highlight, particularly 

as it gave him a chance to see 

fellow Reaseheath student 

Pierce Corcoran, who was also 

on the programme. 

On his move to Miami, Simon 

was selected to work on the Blue 

Monster tournament course and 

given the responsibility of changing 

holes for the tournament. 

Now back in the UK, Simon is 

spending the summer working 

at the prestigious Loch Lomond 

Golf club in Scotland, host of the 

annual Scottish open. He then 

plans to get a job in Australia on 

a major tournament course. 

He said: “The whole 

experience was fantastic and I 

definitely learnt a lot from it. Turf 

care in America is completely 

different from here because the 

temperatures are so extreme. 

“The Ohio Programme has 

been a life changing experience 

for me and I would encourage 

turf grass students to enroll. Not 

only do you learn about turf grass 

management, but you learn a lot 

of life skills as well.” 

Iestyn’s enthusiasm pays off 

Simon Blagg checks the automated watering 

system at Whistling Straights 

I would like to thank the turf 

grass lecturers at Reaseheath 

for encouraging me to apply. I 

would also like to thank Mike 

O’Keeffe, program manager of 

the Ohio Program, for all of his 

help, support and advice. 

Simon completed his First 

Diploma and National Diploma in 

Horticulture with us before taking 

up his internship. 

Sports turf management student Iestyn John has 

been awarded a major trophy by the Institute of 

Groundsmanship (IOG) south Wales branch for 

his commitment to the industry. 

Iestyn, 21, travels to Reaseheath weekly 

from Cwmbran, South Wales, to study for his 

Foundation Degree in Golf and Sports Turf 

Management. He spends two days with us 

and then returns home to work for his family’s 

business, which specialises in sports turf 

maintenance. 

Iestyn has been a member of the 

IOG since he was 16 and has just been 

appointed onto the committee of IOG south 

Wales. He was presented with his trophy at 

the organisation’s annual dinner. Members 

were impressed by his keenness to work in 

the sports turf industry. 

Iestyn had already gained his National 

Diploma and NVQ levels 2 and 3 in Sports 

Turf before coming to us. He chose to 

commute to Reaseheath because we are 

one of the few colleges in the country to 

offer degree level sports turf training. 

He explained: “I’m gaining responsibility 

all the time at work and the course has 

really helped with my understanding 

of management. I’ve also gained new 

contacts in the industry. The sports turf 

industry offers lots of opportunities for a 

great career, particularly if you’re prepared 

to work your way up the ladder.” 

Award winner Iestyn John 

Reaseheath 

Golf Club 

Open Days Saturday June 27 

and Saturday September 26 

10am - 4pm 

FREE coaching to all levels 

with PGA professional. FREE 

use of golf course. Membership 

available. Contact Chris Bishop 

07773 472386 

Gareth investigates pesticide free management 

Senior sports turf lecturer Gareth Phillips is 

to investigate how a pesticide free landscape 

management system is developing in Canada. 

Gareth will visit Guelph University in Ontario to 

see continuing trials. The results will be of great 

relevance to the UK’s amenity horticultural industry, 

as likely EU legislation will greatly reduce the 

active ingredients in pesticides. 

To gain a different perspective, he will also 

spend time at North Carolina State University, USA, 

looking at pesticide usage in amenity areas. 

At both institutions he will be delivering 

lectures on sports turf management in the UK 

and improving his own knowledge of warm and 

cool grassland management. Hopefully some 

of our students will join him in North Carolina to 

meet up with American students who visited us 

last year, and to tour sports venues. 

Gareth’s trip has been financed through a bursary 

from The Farmers Club Charitable Trust. 

6 

COLLEGE

Reaseheath welcomes new stable 

manager 

former stable manager 

A with the mounted police 

has taken on a significant 

management role at our 

expanding equine unit. 

As yard manager, Kim Bailey, 

40, is heading up the team of 

staff and students who care 

for over 40 horses. She is also 

helping to oversee the final 

touches to the department’s £2.3 

million upgrade, which includes 

an international standard indoor 

arena, a round pen for natural 

horsemanship and American 

barn-style stabling. 

Reaseheath has 142 students, 

from introductory to degree level, 

but is looking to increase this 

number to 200 and increase its 

range of horses to 70 over the 

next few years. 

During her five years’ with 

Greater Manchester Police, 

Kim was in charge of a team 

of 24 grooms and trainers. Her 

horses and riders were out on 

patrol daily and were prominent 

at public events. Her team 

demonstrated training techniques 

at national events and was also 

involved in a year’s filming with 

Animal Planet, showing the duties 

of the mounted police. 

Kim said: “My role and 

responsibilities will be very 

similar to those in the police 

force. We have potentially world 

Stable manager Kim Bailey and Ren 

class facilities here and I’m 

confident that, through team 

work, we’ll get to that level of 

excellence. There’s a good 

atmosphere here, with lots of 

positive energy. 

“The investment is heralding a 

new era and we will make sure 

that our students gain the best 

possible experience from these 

exciting times.” 

Kim is an Association of 

Chief Police Officers Accredited 

Instructor and is an NVQ 

Assessor. She also holds BHS 

riding and teaching qualifications 

and is an experienced freelance 

instructor. Her own horse is a 

rehabilitated racing thoroughbred 

and she has competed at 

affiliated level in showjumping 

and at unaffiliated level in 

dressage and horse trials. 

Her early career years were 

spent as a business manager 

in the pharmaceutical industry, 

so she also has the Association 

of Accounting Technicians 

qualification 

Head of Equine Caroline Booth 

said: “Kim brings a wealth of 

experience to the team. She will 

be a great asset in our drive to 

gain an international reputation 

for the quality of our equine 

education and training.” 

On the hoof 

Degree level equine students 

visited the Shade Oak Stud 

near Ellesmere as part of their 

studies into horse breeding. 

Shade Oak is one of the largest 

thoroughbred studs in the area 

and is dedicated to National 

Hunt racing. Seventeen 

students visited over two days 

to watch mares being scanned 

and see the stallions and 

foaling unit. 

• Classroom science was 

brought to life for delegates 

to the Myerscough equine 

science symposium. The 

symposium is designed to link 

equine research with industry 

developments and our students 

heard presentations from six 

renowned equine specialists. 

• Our degree level students 

paid a return visit to the 

Thoroughbred Rehabilitation 

Centre in Lancashire, one of our 

most popular industry venues. 

• Lecturer Kate Hayward gave a 

talk on grassland management 

and stocking density as part 

of a stud management course 

at Twemlows Hall Stud Farm, 

Whitchurch. The course was 

aimed at private breeders, 

studs and students. Kate was 

approached by stud senior 

partner Richard Matson, who 

was formerly professional 

advisor to our equine 

department. Twemlows Hall is 

one of the UK’s leading artificial 

insemination and embryo 

transfer centres. 

Alex is the UK’s top scorer 

Safety on the roads 

Horse care apprentice Alex Wilson 

has become the first person in the 

country to achieve an amazing 98% 

in an equine test. 

Alex, 26, achieved her top 

score in her NPTC Safety with 

Horses Level 2 Certificate, a 

technical certificate which is part 

of her apprenticeship. Alex had 

to prove her knowledge of safe 

working practices, safe lifting, 

fire procedures, dealing with 

accidents and correct use of 

machinery and equipment. 

Alex lives and works on the Wirral 

and has two horses of her own. 

She studies for her apprenticeship 

on one day a week with us and has 

learned the correct procedures for 

loading, stable management and 

show preparation as well as doing 

High scorer Alex is 

congratulated by Dawn Joyce 

lots of jumping. She has also picked 

up a useful BHS Riding and Road 

Safety qualification and is intending 

to do her BHS stage exams. 

Explained Alex: “I’ve got lots of 

personal experience but wanted 

proof of my skills on paper.” 

Course manager Dawn Joyce 

said: “We are very proud of Alex. 

This was a great achievement.” 

Eight horse care apprentices 

achieved a superb 100% pass rate 

in a recent BHS Riding and Road 

Safety exam. Candidates from 

as far away as Wirral and Stoke 

sailed through the qualification, 

which included a theory test, 

a ridden test in an arena and a 

simulated test on campus. 

The students works as grooms and 

instructors at riding centres, private 

yards and competition yards. The 

riding and road safety test is an extra 

qualification that we put on for them. 

Said Dawn Joyce: “This is a 

very important qualification. Horse 

riders are very vulnerable on the 

roads. It is very important that they 

understand correct procedures and 

make their actions clear to other 

road users.” 

Spotlight on 

road safety 

The successful apprentices were: 

Gemma Moss, Alex Wilson, Izzy 

Green, Claire Blakeman, Aimee 

Ollerhead, Kirsty Farmiloe, Steph 

Sim and Sam Manning. 


7

Hedge with a view 

Our countryside students 

have been helping to 

lay an overgrown hedge 

alongside the banks of the 

Shropshire Union Canal near 

Beeston Castle. 

The hedge had been obstructing 

one of Cheshire’s most spectacular 

views across to the famous fortress, 

which has held a commanding 

position over the Cheshire plain for 

over 4,000 years. 

Our National Certificate in 

Environmental Conservation and 

Advanced National Certificate 

in Countryside Management 

students have been trained in the 

ancient art of hedgelaying and 

continuing hedge management 

by experts from the British Trust 

Our countryside department has 

launched a new course to answer 

growing demand for training in 

woodland management. 

The BTEC National Award in 

Forestry and Arboriculture is 

uniquely based across two centres 

– Reaseheath and the forest 

classroom at Delamere Forest. 

The one year course is endorsed 

by the Forestry Commission and 

begins in September. Subjects 

include woodland ecology, planting 

and care of trees, pests and 

for Conservation Volunteers. 

Said student Martin Dyche: 

“This is a very useful skill to 

have. A traditionally laid hedge 

is excellent for conservation 

because it provides a good 

habitat for many species. It’s also 

stock proof and gives natural 

shelter. We’re really enjoying 

learning how to lay a hedge 

properly because it’s a craft 

which is dying out.” 

The hedge is on land 

belonging to the British 

Waterways Board. The project is 

supported through the Cheshire 

Hedgerow Network, a multi 

agency networking group aimed 

at securing the future of the 

county’s hedgerows. 

Woodland management training 

answers growing demand 

diseases and tree biology. Students 

will also gain NPTC qualifications in 

chainsaw use, brushwood chipper, 

and tree climbing and aerial rescue. 

The course is suitable for anyone 

who has an interest in managing 

trees and woodlands. 

Reaseheath’s Head of 

Countryside, Neville Care said: 

“There’s a growing demand for 

people who are qualified in this 

important subject.” 

Course hotline 01270 613242 

email enquiries@reaseheath.ac.uk 

Martin Dyche and Jamie Price 

hedgelaying near Beeston 

Fishing initiative 

Our fish experts and the 

Environment Agency, North 

West region, have been working 

together on a successful initiative 

to help angling clubs increase 

fishing success. 

Called in to investigate problems 

such as fish mortalities, the 

Environment Agency’s technical 

fisheries team had been finding 

that the problem in many cases lay 

with overstocking of the waters with 

fish. They were then faced with the 

challenge of persuading angling 

clubs to reduce fish numbers to 

increase angling success. 

Education seemed the key and 

collaboration with Reaseheath 

staff resulted in a weekend 

course in fisheries management, 

Skillbuild success 

covering many topics including 

parasites, water quality, habitat 

improvement, fish stocking, algae 

control, legislation, biosecurity 

and angler pressure. 

The course proved so popular 

that, when held for the second 

time, it attracted representatives 

from 15 angling clubs with a total 

of 8,500 members. We used our 

lake, laboratories and fish house 

for practical teaching as well as 

our classroom facilities. 

Senior lecturer Dave Hulse said: 

“The students were able to take 

away a lot of useful information to 

pass back to other club members. 

Hopefully it will help prevent 

mortality incidents in the future.” 

Contact: daveh@reaseheath.ac.uk 

Nick focuses on a life behind the lens 

Former countryside student Nick Hastings-Winch is focusing on a career as 

a freelance photographer – and he already has one very illustrious client. 

Nick, 21, won a commission from the Duchess of Westminster to 

photograph flora and fauna at four of the family’s rural estates. His subjects 

were Eaton Estate near Chester, Abbeystead in the Forest of Bowland, 

Reay Forest in Scotland and La Garganta in Southern Spain. He visited 

each site four times throughout the year to record seasonal changes. All 

are special places for wildlife and are sensitively managed. 

The resulting collection of photos was exhibited at Eaton Hall during a 

gardens’ open day and viewed by thousands of members of the public. 

Nick was a student on our National Certificate in Environmental 

Conservation course before taking a further qualification in photography. 

He said: “The background knowledge I gained while I was at 

Reaseheath was really helpful when I was photographing the different 

estates. I had already learned how each was managed and where I was 

most likely to find the wildlife and best landscapes. 

“The estates were all very different. Abbeystead was mainly a heather 

and grouse moor while Reay Forest had red deer and La Garganta was 

home to wild boar and red legged partridge. It was a fantastic opportunity 

to combine my skills and interests.” 

Nick is freelance and especially enjoys outdoor work. Contact: 01829 

782306 or see his website www.nickhastingsphotography.co.uk. 

First class sawmanship saw 

joiner Tom Stubbs take third 

place in the regional Skillbuild 

competition. Four construction 

students represented Reaseheath 

against strong competition from 

other colleges and companies 

Bricklayers Greg Eaton and 

Photographer Nick Hastings-Winch 

Andrew Goff produced some 

quality craftsmanship but were 

just pipped to the honours. 

Joiner Start Evans also put in 

good work. 

We are now waiting to see if Tom’s 

marks are high enough to qualify him 

for the national finals. 

8 

COLLEGE

Reaseheath appointed as Eden partner 

Reaseheath has been 

appointed to deliver the 

dairy industry’s new world 

class education initiative, 

Project Eden. 

Project Eden is a 

groundbreaking partnership 

between leading dairy 

processors and manufacturers, 

Improve (the sector skills 

council for the food and drink 

industry) and the industry’s 

trade organisation Dairy UK. 

Project Eden team Sharon 

Hopkinson, Derek Allen, 

Damien Murphy and 

Chris Edwards 

The training programme will 

deliver a globally recognised, 

degree level qualification in 

dairy technology. 

Project Eden’s Steering Group 

Chairman, Jens Termansen 

of Arla Foods said: “We 

look forward to working with 

Reaseheath in launching this 

cutting edge training initiative. 

Our students will benefit from 

the college’s dairy expertise and 

state of the art training facilities. “ 

Director General of Dairy UK, 

Jim Begg, added: “This is a great 

step towards the delivery of truly 

world class education for our 

industry. It is vital for the dairy 

sector that we remain competitive 

on the world stage, and Eden is a 

Cheesy bid to support 

national holiday 

vital tool in achieving this”. 

Principal Meredydd David said: 

“We are delighted to be awarded 

the Eden training programme 

and we are confident that we can 

work with the industry to produce 

the dairy technologists of the 

future. We are confident that we 

can provide world class facilities 

for a world class education, 

particularly with our current £6 

million investment into our dairy 

equipment and facilities”. 

Reaseheath is recognised 

as an international centre of 

excellence for dairy training 

and is dairy champion within 

the National Skills Academy 

(NSA) for Food and Drink 

Manufacture. 

Commemorative cheese for 

Cheshire East 

A unique Cheshire cheese was 

made by our food students to 

mark the launch of the new 

Cheshire East local authority. 

The cheese was produced 

in our licensed dairy factory 

by seven National Diploma in 

Food Technology students who 

followed our own award winning 

formula. Last year, a cheese 

made to the same recipe was 

awarded one of the top prizes 

at the prestigious Nantwich 

International Cheese Show. 

The seven kilo traditional 

round cheese was matured 

for five months before being 

presented to the leader of the 

new council, Councillor Wesley 

Fitzgerald. The gift was handed 

over by Jane Casson, Project Coordinator 

of local food and drink 

promoter ‘Made in Cheshire’, 

which is based at Reaseheath. 

Food Project Manager Damien 

Councillor Wesley Fitzgerald 

receives the cheese from Jane Casson 

Murphy said: “It was a great 

honour to be asked to produce 

this unique cheese in honour of 

the new Cheshire East authority. 

We hope it will be a tasty 

reminder of this great occasion 

for many months to come.” 

Our dairy specialists produced a 

St George’s flag made of cheese 

to support a campaign for a new 

national holiday. 

The flag, which was unveiled 

on St George’s Day, was sent to 

Downing Street in an attempt to 

persuade Prime Minister Gordon 

Brown to put the day aside as an 

occasion for celebrating the best 

things about England. 

Our reputation as a leading dairy 

college led campaigners to ask 

us to create the exclusive red and 

white Cheshire cheese flag. 

Nigel White, Cheshire cheese 

spokesperson, said: “The North 

West of England is extremely 

proud of its history and its famous 

cheeses. Cheshire cheese is made 

almost exclusively in the region, 

which is why we felt it was fitting to 

produce a cheese flag to show our 

support for making St George’s 

Day a national holiday. 

Our food department held a 

successful careers convention 

showing the opportunities 

offered by the Food Industry. 

The licensed food factory 

was opened to schools and 

individuals. Industry advisors 

joined our staff to talk about 

salaries and careers in the 

food and drink manufacturing 

Damien Murphy puts the finishing 

touches to the St George’s Day flag 

Food Project Manager Damien 

Murphy said: “I was delighted to 

be approached and I fully support 

the campaign. I love a challenge 

and the flag looks as good as the 

cheese tastes. “ 

Showcase on food opportunities 

industries. Level 3 Diploma in 

Food Manufacture students 

demonstrated how to make 

smoothies and made many of 

the dishes served as a buffet 

to visitors. Staff also produced 

butter and bread in the food halls. 

The event was organised 

by National Diploma in Events 

Management students. 


9

Africa conservation experience 

Animal behaviour and zoo 

management degree 

students gained unique 

experience of life in the South 

African bush during a two week 

study tour. 

Seventeen students and three 

staff joined rangers at the Jujeni 

Game Reserve, a 5,000 hectare 

reserve bordering the Kruger 

National Park. The park is home to 

many predatory and endangered 

species including serval, lion, 

hyena, vulture and white rhino. 

Students observed wild animals 

in their natural setting, looked at 

the managerial responsibilities of 

a game reserve and undertook 

conservation work. Their daily 

routine included dawn safaris, 

evening animal observations and 

conservation and research. 

Highlights included watching 

lion, hyena and vultures feeding 

on a kill and elephants and rhino 

wallowing in mud. The scientific 

dissection of an impala was even 

on the programme. The students 

also learned animal tracking skills. 

Conservation work involved 

planting grass seed, preventing 

land erosion and protecting tree 

Caption here 

Pets at Home 

The successful launch of a bespoke ornamental fish care course for 

Pets at Home retailers was followed by a specialist reptile care course. 

Seventeen store managers and assistant managers attended our 

animal centre for three days for concentrated training on the care and 

handling of tortoises, leopard geckos and bearded dragons, all of 

which are becoming increasingly popular as domestic pets. 

The training, as in the fish care course, is tailored to increase the 

expertise of in-store specialists in pre-sale welfare and after-sale advice. 

For more information contact: Dave Hulse 01270 

613293 / email daveh@reaseheath.ac.uk 

Rhino spotting in South Africa 

species from destructive animals. 

Away from the animals, our 

group picked up some local 

Xitsonga language and tasted 

delicacies such as deep fried 

crickets. 

Lecturer Suzanne Taylor said: 

“The rangers we worked with 

were very experienced, good 

humoured and interesting. The 

experience will remain with the 

whole group for a lifetime.” 

The study tour was organised 

through African Conservation 

Experience. 

Animal Centre Head Richard 

Champion said: “A huge amount 

of work has gone into arranging 

fantastic educational study tours 

in South Africa. This is our second 

one and the experience gets 

better and better”. 

Project Webcam 

Webcams have been set up in 

several outdoor enclosures in 

our animal centre with a direct 

link to our college website. 

Initially we are focusing on 

one of our meerkat families 

and on a paddock containing 

our two tapirs and group of 

capybara. 

Website viewers will 

eventually be able to watch 

a wide range of our animals 

including primates, small 

mammals, South American 

animals, birds and fish. All our 

animal courses include handson 

experience with the animal 

collection and viewers will see 

students carrying out practical 

sessions. 

The project enables 

prospective students and 

those from other colleges 

and schools to improve their 

knowledge through using the 

web. It was made possible 

through a grant from VETNET, 

an organisation which 

promotes progression into 

higher education and into the 

veterinary profession. 

Project Tylototriton 

Reaseheath is continuing to lead 

a successful global project to 

help safeguard the endangered 

Himalayan crocodile newt. 

Herpetologist Ben Baker and 

fellow supporters are working 

with researchers, government 

officials and non government 

organisations in India’s Darjeeling 

Hills to protect the eight 

remaining key breeding sites of 

the amphibian. 

Over £1,000 raised by animal 

management students and 

staff has paid for fencing to 

stop cattle destroying the pond 

margins and local people are 

being discouraged from washing 

their clothes in the water. 

Reaseheath’s logo is displayed at 

each site. 

The next stage is to identify 

the home ranges of the adult 

newts and to develop a species 

conservation action plan. A team 

of specialists will visit the area 

in June 2009 to track animals 

which have been implanted with 

tiny microchips. The team will 

also inspect a further eight ponds 

in the hopes that they can be 

restored and used by the newts 

in the future. 

Ben is hopeful that the 

programme will encourage the 

newt population to recover. 

He said: “The main problems 

facing the newts is raised water 

temperatures caused by climate 

change and degradation of 

breeding sites. By protecting 

these ponds and identifying 

further possible sites we will have 

gone a long way to helping to 

save the species.” 

Project Tylototriton INDIA 

is working closely with the 

Association of Conservation 

and Tourism (ACT), the IUCN (a 

specialist South Asia amphibian 

group) and Padjama Naidu Zoo. 

Reaseheath has one of the 

UK’s most successful captive 

breeding programmes for 

crocodile newts. We have 

supplied newts to London Zoo, 

Knowsley Safari Park, Wildfowl 

and Wetlands Trust Slimbridge 

and Stapeley Water Gardens in 

Nantwich. 

For further details email 

tylototrition@reaseheath.ac.uk 

10 

COLLEGE

We are the champions! 

Reaseheath’s newly formed 

football team has brought 

home two prestigious trophies in 

its first season. 

The student team from our 

sports studies department, which 

was launched last September, 

surpassed all expectations by lifting 

the British Colleges Sport North 

West title at the first attempt. 

The team won 10 out of 14 

matches, sealing the league 

championship. 

Manager Kevin Cunningham 

said: “Winning the league was a 

fantastic achievement. It’s been 

an incredible journey and the lads 

have worked very hard. The football 

team has done a wonderful job 

of enhancing Reaseheath’s ever 

growing reputation.” 

The team train regularly on 

Reaseheath’s own sports pitch 

and on the all weather indoor pitch 

belonging to the onsite Crewe 

Alexandra football academy. The 

players have been helped in their 

training by Nantwich Town Football 

Club (FC) boss Steve Davis. 

Five players were selected 

Snow Sports Action 

Over 40 adventure 

sports students 

spent a week 

improving their snow 

sport skills during 

a study tour in the 

French Alps. 

The students, from 

our First Diploma, 

National Certificate 

and National Diploma 

programmes, were 

accompanied by five 

staff to the popular 

Alpes d’Huez area. 

Our group were rewarded with a 

dump of two metres of fresh snow, 

giving them superb conditions 

in which to improve their skiing 

and snowboarding skills. All 

students had lessons and showed 

impressive progress. 

Our students also gained a 

useful oversight of the winter 

sports industry by visiting a local 

municipal sports facility. 

• Students taking our Adventure 

Sport Management degree 

practiced winter skills during 

a week’s stay in Aviemore, 

Scotland. They were joined 

in Britain’s winter capital by 

for honours at the close of the 

season. Sam Robinson took two 

awards - Most Improved Player of 

the Season and the prestigious 

Players’ Player of the Season. 

Goalkeeper Tom Taylor scooped 

the Manager’s Player of the Season 

while Chris Dolan and Nigel 

Johnson won joint Golden Boot 

awards with an impressive 13 goals 

in 13 games each. 

The squad then topped off its 

season with even more success 

by winning an international 

inter-college competition in 

Skiing in the French Alps 

final year National Diploma 

students. Their training 

included the correct use of ice 

axes and crampons and how 

to move safely through ice 

and snow. One group finished 

their week with a fine ascent 

of a classic Scottish winter 

route ‘Aladdin’s Couloir’, with a 

grade 2 ice pitch thrown in for 

good measure. 

• Future events include ongoing 

first aid qualifications and 

formal coaching awards. 

Residential visits are also 

planned for Scotland, the Lake 

District and North Wales. 

Spain. Our team played three 

games against top teams from 

across Europe, winning two 

matches and drawing one. 

The team funded the tour 

themselves. 

• Many students play sport 

as part of our enrichment 

programme and our hockey, 

rugby, netball and football teams 

have enjoyed a busy season 

playing fixtures in the Northern 

Ryan gears up 

Ambitious triathlete Ryan Morris is 

gearing up to represent Britain for 

the second time - as long as he can 

find sponsorship. 

Ryan, a National Diploma in 

Adventure Sports student, has 

qualified for the GB Under 23 

years Triathlon squad which will 

travel out to Australia for the World 

Championships in September. After 

that he has his sights firmly fixed on 

the 2012 London Olympics. 

However, all his training may be 

in vain if he cannot raise the £2,000 

sponsorship he needs. 

Last year Ryan was a member 

of the GB Under 23 years Triathlon 

team at the World Championships 

in Canada and claimed 14th 

individual position. 

“I definitely hope to improve on 

that,” says Ryan, who trains for up 

to 22 hours a week in addition to 

his course work. He is coached in 

running by Kyle Bennet, swims with 

the Crewe Fliers and has invested 

in a specialised triathlon bike to 

improve his overall timings. 

In Auguse he will be one of an 

elite squad representing Great 

Britain in a World Championship 

Series triathlon on the 2012 London 

Olympic course. 

Another ambition is to finish the 

Nantwich triathlon in under one 

Our victorious football team celebrate 

Counties Colleges’ League. 

Home and away matches 

have been played against the 

other participating land based 

colleges - Myerscough, Askham 

Bryan, Newton Rigg and 

Bishop Burton. 

• Our women’s football team has 

also enjoyed friendly matches. 

There are plans to expand the 

programme next year. 

Olympic hopeful Ryan Morris 

hour - last year his time was one 

hour three minutes. 

Ryan aims to become a high level 

coach or personal trainer and hopes 

to go to university in September to 

take a degree which will further his 

interest in sports fitness. 

In the meantime he is looking for 

additional sponsorship. 

Contact email: 

rytri23@hotmail.com 


11

Engineers get a handle on European trade 

Driving 21st century tractors 

at the global headquarters 

of CLAAS was just one 

highlight of the European study 

tour enjoyed by our agricultural 

engineers. 

Forty-ones students – the 

largest group we have ever taken 

– toured key manufacturing sites 

in Germany and Holland. We 

have been running this popular 

tour for some years. 

Our group couldn’t wait to test 

drive the multi-million pounds 

worth of machinery on offer, 

which included a CLAAS Xerion 

multi drive tractor and a CLAAS 

Scorpion telescopic handler. 

They also toured the impressive 

technoparc and factory in 

Harsewinkel, Germany, and 

were able to see the different 

technology and processes used 

to manufacture different parts of 

the machinery. 

Eberhard Weller, CLAAS 

Head of Customer Care said: 

“We were delighted to welcome 

Reaseheath’s students to 

our family owned company. 

The students were very good 

ambassadors for the college and 

we were very impressed with their 

level of knowledge and interest in 

how we operate.” 

The engineers enjoyed a 

similar privilege during a factory 

visit to the German headquarters 

of Amazone, manufacturers of 

sprayers and cultivation machinery. 

The trip included an impressive 

demonstration of machinery. 

The group then moved on to 

Holland to Mitsubishi’s European 

manufacturing hub for forklift 

trucks. Reaseheath Engineering 

Our engineers view some 

impressive kit during their study tour 

has just bought one of these 

models so it was interesting for the 

students to see where it was made. 

A trip to the Museum de 

Cruquius, a historical water 

pumping station, was followed by 

a visit to agricultural machinery 

exporter and importer Koop van 

der Wal. 

The students were from our 

full time First Diploma and 

National Diploma in Land Based 

Technology. Group member 

Charles James said: “We had 

a great time. It was a real eye 

opener to see the scale of the 

factories - they were massive. 

Operating the machinery was 

awesome.” 

Motorheads take a pitstop 

Top performing cars 

Our young engineers raced 

off with three first prizes after 

building top performing, remote 

controlled vehicles. 

The students had to use their 

ingenuity and skills to create a 

vehicle which produced a winning 

performance on a quarter pipe 

test track. They were given a set 

of standard wheels, a battery and 

maximum dimensions – and a goal 

of getting the resulting vehicle as 

high up the ramp as possible. 

David Perry and Philip Shaw’s 

vehicle fended off competition 

from other colleges in Class 1 to 

take first prize, while two entries 

from Henry Dakin, Tom Molloy, 

Chris Gardener and Matthew 

Wardell shared the first prize in 

Class 2. 

The winning teams brought 

home more than £450 in prize 

money and power tools. 

Ten of our National Diploma in 

Land Based Technology students 

competed in the national 

competition, run by the Institute 

of Agricultural Engineers as part 

of a campaign to raise the profile 

of the industry among young 

engineers. 

Motor vehicle students enjoyed 

a pit stop at the world’s biggest 

motorsport show - Autosport 

International. 

The NEC Birmingham event, 

which included the engine 

tuning and modification 

feature ‘Pistonheads’, gave 30 

students and staff the chance 

to experience some of the 

most cutting edge action in the 

industry. 

Some students watched 

interviews with recently retired 

F1 driver David Coulthard and 

commentators Murray Walker 

and Martin Brundle while 

others enjoyed a test track ride 

in the latest Mercedes high 

performance road cars. 

Steve Ellis, who manages 

our First Diploma in Vehicle 

Maintenance course, said: “The 

event is the ultimate motorsport 

experience. Our students 

had a fantastic opportunity to 

gain a general overview of the 

industry. They were able to look 

at the latest in equipment and 

engineering which is currently in 

use in the top end of motorsport 

and motor vehicle repair.” 

Students and staff enjoy Pistonheads 

12 

COLLEGE

Students Get an Overview of 

Cold Weather Farming 

Our agriculture students 

braved temperatures of 

minus 11C during a visit to 

eastern Canada to experience 

farming restrictions posed by 

cold weather. 

The week long tour, arranged 

through SEMEX, Canada’s 

leading cattle breeding company, 

enabled 18 final year National 

Diploma in Agriculture students 

to visit a mixture of dairy and beef 

farms and arable units. 

The students also spent a day 

at Guelph University, a major 

centre for agriculture research. 

Their programme included a 

talk on ethanol production from 

maize, which is a growing trend 

in Canada. They saw this practice 

in action at the university’s beef 

research station, where ethanol 

by-products are fed to the 

resident herd. The students also 

visited the dairy cow research 

centre at Guelph, where major 

cattle feed trials are carried out. 

The trip took in the Spring 

Discovery Show in London, 

Ontario. Free time was spent 

sightseeing in Toronto, climbing 

the CN tower, visiting the Niagara 

Falls and enjoying the action of a 

league ice hockey game. 

Cheshire Ploughing Championship 

Four engineering students 

contested the Cheshire Ploughing 

Society Youth Championship, 

hosted by Reaseheath. 

Sam Cliffe took part in the 

reversible competition while 

Joe Lomas, Will Redman and 

Charlie James competed in the 

conventional classes. 

All four were having their first 

Charlie James 

competes in the 

ploughing match 

Students join their hosts at 

Wikkerink Farms in Ontario 

Lecturer Natalie Gascoyne 

said: “Our students had the 

opportunity to look at how the 

global market affects Canadian 

farming and experience first 

hand the coldness, size and 

space of Canada. We looked at 

a lot of good housing designs 

which withstand very cold 

winters and extremely hot 

summers. 

“This was one of the best tours 

we’ve done and our thanks go to 

SEMEX and our other hosts.” 

Student Cerys Crank said: 

“I really enjoyed the whole 

experience. We went to some 

attempt at match ploughing 

and enjoyed the experience so 

much that they are looking for 

further opportunities to compete. 

Lecturer Tim Ball and members 

of the Cheshire Ploughing 

Society were on hand to coach 

the students, who were pitting 

their skills against 28 other 

competitors. 

fantastic dairy farms. Looking at 

the Canadian genetics industry 

was very interesting.” 

• Our First Diploma in Agriculture 

students went to the Lake 

District for a study tour taking 

in beef, sheep and dairy. The 

tour included a trip to a Jersey 

dairy farm tenanted by former 

student Stephen Bland 

• Later this year, students from 

a number of courses will look 

at mixed farming in Cornwall 

while a group of National 

Certificate in Agriculture 

students will visit farming 

enterprises in Scotland. 

John 

impresses 

Dairy herd management student 

John Coar ably represented 

Reaseheath at the selection 

round for the Royal Association 

of British Dairy Farmers’ (RABDF) 

Dairy Student Award. 

We hosted the competition, 

which drew in a short list of 12 

students from colleges throughout 

the country. The students had to 

act as a health consultant to our 

onsite Genus herd. 

Although John was not 

selected for the final at the 

Farmers Club in London, he 

impressed the panel of judges 

with his plans for the future 

of the dairy herd and with his 

business acumen. 

John manages a farm in 

partnership with a farmer and 

hopes to progress onto a 

degree course at Harper Adams 

University College. 

Scholarship for 

travel down under 

Richard Beck 

Cheshire dairy farmer Richard 

Beck spent over a month visiting 

similar businesses in New 

Zealand and Australia thanks to 

a scholarship organised through 

Reaseheath. 

Richard, who is a partner in his 

family’s dairy farm, was the first 

recipient of the John Platt Travel 

Scholarship, a £2,000 annual 

award on offer to young people 

who live or work in the county’s 

agriculture or related industries. 

He said: “This was a fantastic 

opportunity for me, and greatly 

appreciated. The trip broadened 

my horizon and vision and gave 

me a wealth of knowledge. 

“I looked at a lot of 

environmental and economic 

issues, and at how the market 

operates under pressures which 

are different to those here. I’m 

intending to use the experience 

to look at different ways of 

maximising my own business.” 

Richard joined a study tour 

with the Livestock Improvement 

Corporation which visited 16 

dairy farms in the north and south 

islands of New Zealand. 

He then flew to western 

Australia to spend a week with 

former Cheshire Young Farmer 

Ian Crawford, who has an arable 

unit in Perth. 

The John Platt Travel 

Scholarship is open to anyone 

aged between 18 and 35 

Applicants must show that they 

want to improve their education 

and experience through travel 

by putting forward a project 

focused on new technology, 

new or alternative farming 

methods, diversification, use of 

natural resources or improved 

profitability. 

Contact Reaseheath’s Vice 

Principal Dave Kynaston on 

01270 613243 / email dianar@ 

reaseheath.ac.uk 


13

Reaseheath Agricultural Development Academy 

Fertility counts 

Decreasing dairy cow fertility 

is a global problem but 

there is plenty that farmers can 

do to improve their situation. 

This was the key message 

taken home by over 80 delegates 

who attended a ‘Fertility Counts’ 

seminar at Reaseheath. The 

seminar featured three high 

profile speakers: dairy specialist 

Neil Howie from the Nantwich 

Veterinary Group, independent 

consultant Kate Burnby from The 

Willows Veterinary Group and 

Carmarthenshire dairy farmer 

Howell Richards. 

All three highlighted key 

influences on fertility and 

how even minor changes in 

management could result in 

a commercial payback for the 

farmer. 

Discussion sessions 

were followed by practical 

demonstrations on the onsite 

Genus MOET unit. Delegates 

watched vet Den Leonard from 

Lambert, Leonard and May, 

using an ultrasound scanner and 

picked up tips on nutrition and 

post calving care. 

The free seminar was 

organised through the 

Reaseheath Agricultural 

Development Academy (RADA) 

and funded by Elanco Animal 

Health and the RDPE Northwest 

Livestock Programme. Elanco 

Neil Howie and David Donaldson from Agri-King Ltd give a practical 

session on cow nutrition 

has previously sponsored a 

dvd in cow footcare which was 

produced by Reaseheath. 

Welcoming the delegates, 

Principal Meredydd David 

emphasised that Reaseheath 

was dedicated to supporting 

the agricultural industry 

through RADA and through 

its many partnerships. As well 

as a £3 million investment into 

agricultural education facilities, 

Reaseheath was developing 

a team of technical specialists 

so it could share the latest 

developments with the farmer. 

Getting to Grips with NVZs 

The college had 250 

agricultural students - the largest 

number in its history – and also 

had a degree student carrying 

out live research into dairy cow 

behaviour. 

Summing up at the end of the 

day, Jonny Hewitt, Chairman 

of Cheshire NFU, said that it 

was evident that Reaseheath 

had outstanding passion, vision 

and commitment to agriculture. 

Its current investment would 

bring European class education 

facilities to the doorstep of 

farmers. 

Initiative to 

help livestock 

farmers 

A new initiative to help 

livestock farmers in Cheshire 

and Merseyside improve the 

performance and efficiency 

of their businesses is being 

supported by Reaseheath. 

The Rural Development Plan 

for England (RDPE) Northwest 

Livestock Programme aims to 

improve farm competitiveness, 

nutrient management and 

animal health and welfare 

by looking at the efficient 

management of farm 

resources through various 

projects. Activity includes 

animal health plans, nutrient 

management plans and 

demonstration events. 

Reaseheath is working with 

Myerscough College, EBLEX 

(English Beef and Lamb 

Executive), DairyCo and the 

English Farming and Food 

Partnerships to deliver the 

programme’s events and group 

work element. Two monitor 

farms are being set up in the 

sub-region: one dairy and one 

beef and sheep. A discussion 

group is attached to each. More 

information can be found at 

www.livestocknw.co.uk. 

For further information 

contact Tim Goldsbrough on 

07788 721 943 or email 

timg@reaseheath.ac.uk 

Farmers and contractors hoping 

to get to grips with new Nitrate 

Vulnerable Zone regulations 

attended Muck North West, a 

demonstration event held at 

Reaseheath. 

Sponsored by the Environment 

Agency and organised by Harvey 

Hughes Independent Rural 

Consultants, Muck North West’s 

live machinery demonstrations 

and discussion forums attracted 

farmers eager to comply with the 

new legislation while making the 

most of their muck and slurry. 

Slurry storage, handling 

and incorporation equipment, 

including self propelled 

spreaders, shallow injectors, 

arable injectors and umbilical 

equipment were in action. 

Alternative slurry and manure 

management systems including 

reedbeds and bio digesters were 

also discussed. 

Farmers could bring along their 

own manure for a slurry nutrient 

analysis. 

Doug East, Senior Environment 

Officer at the Environment 

Agency, said: “We understand 

that the changes to the NVZ 

Demonstration at Muck North West 

regulations are a challenge for 

farmers. We are working with 

them and consultants to ensure 

that everyone is aware of the 

changes, how it affects them 

and the measures they can do to 

make the changes easier.” 

Shepherds’ Day 

Reaseheath hosted a free event 

for anyone interested in rearing 

sheep. The day’s programme 

featured practical sessions on 

our commercial sheep unit and 

demonstrations of lamb selection 

and butchery. 

The day included a ram MOT, 

a practical session on sheep 

and lamb health care and a 

demonstration of our electronic 

ear tagging system. There was 

also a veterinary talk on the 

prevention of liver fluke. 

The event was sponsored by 

RDPE (Rural Development Plan 

for England) and EBLEX (English 

Beef and Lamb Executive) and 

attracted sheep farmers, small 

holders, students and vets. 

14 

COLLEGE

Another accolade for apprentice joiner 

Talented apprentice joiner 

Josh Johnson has taken 

top honours in a prestigious 

competition which rewards 

exceptional achievements 

by young people and their 

employers and trainers. 

Josh, a bench joiner with 

builders Conran Homes, took first 

place in the Further Education 

(Vocational) category in the North 

West Learner Awards 2009. The 

awards are run by the Learning 

and Skills Council. 

Josh learned of his success at 

an ‘Oscar style’ ceremony for the 

best candidates from the Cheshire 

and Warrington area. He received 

a trophy and vouchers from former 

Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq, 

watched by supervisor Rick Peers 

and Reaseheath assessor Andy 

Armitage, who nominated him. 

Conran Homes specialises 

in bespoke conversions of 

barns and character properties 

and Josh, 20, uses his skills to 

handcraft woodwork. He has also 

encouraged his firm to progress 

by helping to produce risk 

assessments for a new workshop. 

Josh successfully gained his 

Intermediate Construction Award 

with us and was then helped to 

find his apprenticeship by Andy 

Armitage. He has gone on to 

achieve industry recognised 

qualifications including NVQ 

Level 2 in bench joinery. He 

is now studying towards his 

advanced apprenticeship, which 

will lift his skills to supervisory and 

management level. 

His commitment was recognised 

by Reaseheath tutors last year 

when he was crowned Apprentice 

of the Year. 

Said Reaseheath 

Apprenticeship Team Leader Chris 

Middleton: “Josh was a worthy 

Talented bench joiner Josh Johnson 

winner at the North West Learner 

Awards and we are absolutely 

delighted at his success. The 

competition was extremely 

tough, as every training provider 

throughout the area put forward 

their best candidate. The award 

recognises the way Josh, his 

employers, and Reaseheath’s 

construction team have worked 

together to benefit everyone.” 

Josh said: “I’m really proud to 

have been chosen for this award. 

I enjoy my work and coming 

to college because I’m always 

learning new things. I would like to 

become a supervisor myself and 

pass on the skills I have learned to 

future generations.” 

Rick Peers commented: “Josh 

is a pleasure to work with and is 

a valued member of staff, always 

coming up with new ideas. I am 

very pleased, both for him and 

for our company, that he has 

won this award.” 

Big Future in 

Apprenticeships 

Peter Johnson (right) and Reaseheath 

Vice Principal Dave Kynaston 

The potential for apprenticeships in 

the food and drink manufacturing 

industry was underlined at an event 

held at Reaseheath. 

Would-be employers and 

apprentices were invited to look 

round our food manufacturing 

halls during National 

Apprenticeship Week in an event 

sponsored by Improve, the 

sector skills council for the UK’s 

food and drink manufacturing 

industry. 

Peter Johnson, Skills Project 

Manager for Improve, said that 

many employers already knew 

the bottom-line benefits of the 

apprenticeship. 

The food and drink industry 

had a £77 billion turnover and 

was one area likely to see a rise 

in apprenticeships under an 

ambitious government programme 

to promote the training 

programme. Apprenticeships 

were one of the best training 

programmes in existence because 

they were shaped by industry. 

He was delighted to have links 

with Reaseheath, as it was a 

particularly high performing college. 

To find out more about 

apprenticeships phone 01270 

613221 

email wbl@reaseheath.ac.uk 

More LSC success 

Enthusiastic supporters of the apprenticeship 

scheme, John and Gaynor McNally of Greenfield 

Kennels, Wirral, won the Employer of the Year Award 

(LSC North West region). The McNallys have built up 

a thriving business, assisted by several animal care 

apprentices who have continued their training with 

us. The couple have worked closely with Reaseheath 

over the past seven years and are extremely 

supportive of the young people they employ. The 

awards ceremony took place at Aintree Racecourse. 

John and Gaynor McNally receive their award from 

Konnie Huq watched by Reaseheath’s Chris Middleton, 

Margaret Henderson, Gill Lee and Sue Fitzpatrick 


15

Partnership helps Aimia develop its staff 

Reaseheath’s business department 

is helping hot and cold beverage 

manufacturing company Aimia Foods Ltd 

to continue developing its staff. 

Recognised as one of Britain’s Top Employers 

2009*, Aimia earned particular praise for the way 

it promotes and develops its workforce. 

An expanding business with an annual 

turnover in excess of £50 million, the company 

has three sites in Haydock, Merseyside, with 

30 production lines. Its core business is the 

supply of hot and cold beverages to the retail, 

foodservice and vending market trade. It also 

offers outsourcing solutions to major blue 

chip companies. 

With such a wide remit, the company 

employs a multi-skilled workforce of several 

hundred and says that training its staff has 

helped to take its business forward. 

Part of this success is the Train to Gain service 

offered onsite through a flourishing partnership 

with Reaseheath. The relationship, started 

following a site visit by Janet Beardmore from 

our business development department, has 

gone from strength to strength. 

Nearly 60 staff have completed or are 

currently working towards NVQ level 2 

qualifications including food manufacture, 

ITQ, business improvement techniques and 

team leading. 

Operations Director Malcolm Downing 

believes that the structured training formalises 

and recognises the duties which his staff 

routinely carry out. 

He says: “One of the greatest benefits from 

Train to Gain is that people get a greater 

understanding of what they are already doing 

in the workplace. We find that completing a 

course and gaining a certificate can give our 

staff a great confidence boost. 

“We have offered the training to everyone and 

it has really gained momentum. Some of our 

staff haven’t been in education for years but have 

really enjoyed the experience. It’s also a very cost 

effective way of upskilling the workforce.” 

Technical Operator Mark Smith runs a 

production line with special responsibilities for 

quality. Aged 26, he says he joined Aimia five 

years ago because it offered good prospects 

and that gaining an NVQ Level 2 Food 

Manufacture (production control skills) has been 

a good addition to his CV. 

He points out: “I already knew how to carry 

out the tasks but I now have the underpinning 

knowledge of why we do them.” 

* Guardian Books 2009 

Gardeners’ hard graft pays off 

Ellesmere Port and Neston 

Borough Council is showing 

appreciation of its hard working 

gardeners by encouraging them 

to take further qualifications. 

Gardeners with the Parks 

and Green Scene Unit, which 

manages the borough’s prize 

winning public parks and green 

spaces, have been gaining new 

qualifications through our workbased 

Train to Gain programme. 

Assessor Jimmy Daly has been 

observing the gardeners at work, 

checking background knowledge 

and filling any skills gaps before 

helping them to complete their 

portfolio for NVQ Level 2 Amenity 

Horticulture (Landscaping). 

The Parks and Open Spaces 

Unit, which maintains two 

high profile town parks, 18 

neighbourhood parks and 34 

children’s play areas plus a 

large area of public open space, 

has long serving members who 

have enjoyed the challenge of 

returning to learning. 

The Train to Gain initiative matches training needs with 

training providers at little or no cost where employees meet 

criteria. Reaseheath College offers a wide range of training 

opportunities to businesses including horticulture, food 

Assessor Jimmy Daly 

presents Steve Lynch and Tony 

Marlow with their certificates 

watched by Ian Hogan 

Chargehand Gardeners Tony 

Marley and Paul Matthews 

and Assistant Chargehand 

Gardener Steve Lynch, who 

between them have notched up 

84 years of service, have found 

the experience has given them 

fresh confidence in their ability to 

manufacturing, customer service, business administration, 

team leading, management and information technology. 

Contact Janet Beardmore on 01270 613189 or email 

janetb@reaseheath.ac.uk 

deliver a quality service. 

Tony, who oversees a 

team, said: “In this sort of job 

you tend to do a lot of tasks 

automatically but you don’t 

really think about why you do 

them. Completing the portfolio 

made me realise how much I 

Mark Smith checks the quality of product and 

packaging on his production line watched by 

assessor Penny Scott 

knowledge I had already – and 

it’s certainly encouraged me to 

learn more.” 

Steve remarked: “I’m glad I 

was given the chance to gain 

the qualification. It has been a 

good experience and a great 

achievement.” 

Senior Amenity Officer Ian 

Hogan has welcomed the onsite 

training for its convenience 

and for the way it has 

encouraged higher standards. 

He said: “I have a very 

experienced workforce who 

know how to do the job. Where 

they have really benefited has 

been in the technical feedback. 

“Increased education and 

understanding must build up 

confidence and it will certainly 

help staff in the future if they 

want to do further study. The 

programme is beneficial to the 

employer too – you get a more 

enthusiastic workforce and it 

doesn’t take much out of the 

working week.” 

16 

COLLEGE

Reaseheath achieves excellence award 

for working with food employers 

Reaseheath became the 

first college in the UK to 

achieve a national badge of 

quality for the proactive way 

it responds to the specific 

needs of employers in the 

food industry. 

The Training Quality Standard 

(TQS) with Excellence in Food 

and Drink Manufacturing 

is awarded only to training 

establishments which prove that 

they offer top quality, employer-led 

training in a specific field, and that 

they have the flexibility, knowledge 

and facilities to respond to clients’ 

individual needs. 

To be considered for 

the accolade, our food 

manufacturing department had 

to prove that it has developed 

expert product and services 

and illustrate how well it 

responds and understands 

its specific market area. The 

department’s services also had 

to record the highest level of 

customer satisfaction. 

The Learning and Skills 

Council (LSC) sponsored award 

was independently assessed to 

European standards and has 

been endorsed by the Sector 

Skills Council and the National 

Skills Academy for Food and 

Drink Manufacturing. 

Paying tribute, Richard Marsh, 

Employer Responsiveness 

Director for the LSC said: “Only 

the best achieve this award 

and Reaseheath should be 

congratulated on reaching this 

very high standard. 

“By achieving TQS in Food 

and Drink Manufacturing, 

Reaseheath has demonstrated 

that it is the clear leader 

in the supply of training to 

this important sector of the 

economy. This quality standard 

is given only to those who can 

demonstrate excellence in 

their chosen field and whose 

customers are prepared to 

vouch for that excellence. 

Margaret Bardsley and Meredydd 

David celebrate TQS success 

“This has been a tremendous 

achievement on the part of 

all staff in Reaseheath’s food 

manufacturing department.” 

Reaseheath’s Business 

Director Margaret Bardsley said: 

“We are delighted to have been 

awarded this very prestigious 

quality kitemark. This is proof to 

employers in the food and drink 

manufacturing industry that we 

offer high quality training and 

development solutions, product 

development and trials. It also 

confirms that we work with 

and for employers, and that 

we understand their specific 

business.” 

Engineering 

Stakeholder Dinner 

Reaseheath Engineering further 

explored the training needs of 

industry partners at a stakeholders 

dinner attended by 13 influential 

guests from the agricultural 

engineering and construction plant 

engineering sectors. 

Guests included representatives 

from the Institute of Agricultural 

Engineers, the Agricultural 

Engineers Association, Harper 

Adams University College, Case IH, 

A Plant, Massey Ferguson, Lantra, 

JCB, Turner Ground Care and 

Raven Hill Farm Services. 

Head of Engineering Melvin 

Johnson said: “We were delighted 

as our guests told us they were 

very impressed with the scope and 

quality of the provision we offer and 

the responsiveness of us to their 

needs. We are in a very favourable 

position, as we have an enviable 

platform to further the quality and 

provision we offer. 

“They were all very influential 

people and gave us some good 

ideas to explore to increase our 

activity in the land engineering 

based sector.” 

Business is go 

Safety a priority 

Environmental health officers and 

technicians from across the north 

west spent a day with us gaining 

an insight into the health and safety 

issues within the golf trade. 

Thirty nine officers from local 

authorities in Cheshire, Merseyside, 

Manchester and Chester spent 

time in the classroom learning the 

theory behind golf course care 

before touring our golf facilities and 

watching practical demonstrations 

of machinery and pesticide use, tree 

climbing and pruning. 

The event, hosted by the 

Cheshire Environmental Health 

Liaison Group and funded through 

the Health and Safety Executive, 

was in answer to a demand for 

hands-on practical training. 

Co-organisers Linda Green, 

Health and Safety Enforcement 

Officer with Vale Royal Borough 

Council, and Terry Coppenhall, 

Environmental health officers get practical tips from trainer Richard Murray 

Environmental Health Officer for 

Crewe and Nantwich, agreed 

that the training event had given 

colleagues a better knowledge 

of the health and safety risk 

presented by golf course 

maintenance practices. 

Said Linda: “We now have a 

better understanding of the correct 

ways that machinery should 

be used according to ground 

conditions, and the common 

shortcuts used in the industry that 

present hazards to employees. 

The training will help us in our 

duties to educate businesses as 

to their legal requirements and 

responsibilities.” 

 

Theme park visit 

Business, e-business and 

events management students 

gained a deeper understanding 

of the issues that face business 

by attending the Business 

Live conference at Disneyland 

Resort Paris. 

Twenty-five students and staff 

heard speakers from the Financial 

Times, Bean2Bed (a portable bed 

/ beanbag business) and travel 

company Eurostar. The importance 

which successful businesses place 

on strategic marketing and careful 

finance, particularly in the current 

economic climate, was discussed. 

The students also enjoyed free 

time to visit the theme parks and 

were particularly interested in the 

film set and stunt show. 


17

Vintage play from veteran golfers 

Veteran golfers from 

several counties contested 

the 2009 Reaseheath Vintage 

Open, a tournament for 

players aged 70-plus run 

by degree level sports turf 

students. 

Overall winner was Jack 

Rowbotham, a member of Hazel 

Grove Golf Club, who won the 

men’s section. A delighted 

Jack said: “The students have 

obviously worked very hard to 

make sure that the course is in 

good condition. We have been 

made to feel very welcome and 

the whole competition has been 

very enjoyable.” 

Runner up was John Fortune 

and third was Max Rowe. 

Monica Norman triumphed in a 

strong women’s section, followed 

by Brenda Cotton, Gwladys 

Summers and Fay Stubbings. 

Brenda and Fay are members of 

Reaseheath Golf Club. 

Monica said: “It was a lovely 

day and the students did an 

excellent job.” 

The 14th annual tournament 

took place on our commercial 

nine hole golf course. Sponsors 

included Bathgate Leisure, 

sand and gravel supplier, and 

Banner building and plumbing. 

Proceeds are to be donated to 

the Lingen Davies Cancer Relief 

Fund, a Shropshire charity. 

Degree level sportsturf 

students Tim Johnson, Sam 

Hamer and Simon Wilgose 

took the lead in organising the 

competition as part of their 

studies. 

Vintage golf - industry supporters and the team who prepared the course 

Help for job seekers 

Reaseheath can help you retrain for a new 

career, particularly if you are finding difficulty 

getting a job in the current economic climate. 

The Energisers Programme is open 

to young people aged 16-19 who are 

currently not in Education, Employment or 

Training (NEET) and reside in either Crewe, 

Nantwich, Warrington or Vale Royal. 

Energisers is delivered over 10 weeks 

for no more than 12 hours per week. 

Sessions for the first five weeks are held at 

convenient local centres. You can take part 

in confidence building activities such as 

learning about healthy eating and exercise 

and go on day trips. 

You will spend the next five weeks taking 

part in practical sessions in college to see 

which subjects you enjoy. These include 

Art on show 

Students from our adult leisure classes for 

watercolour painting displayed their work at 

Nantwich library. The exhibition covered a 

range of topics from flowers to local scenes. 

Artist Keren Sutton, who teaches the 

course, said: “This was a great opportunity 

for both beginners and more advanced 

students to show off their work.” 

First time exhibitor Jo Colyer said: “I really 

enjoy the classes. There’s a very relaxed 

atmosphere and we all share tips and 

interests.” 

Watercolour painting is just one of a wide 

range of day and evening leisure courses 

we offer. 

Contact 01270 613193 or email 

leisure@reaseheath.ac.uk 

working on our farm and animal centre, 

construction, adventure sports, floral 

design, horticulture and making ice cream. 

Your benefits remain protected and 

transport and lunch is provided. 

The Pathways Programme is for adults 

(19+) who live in Cheshire, Warrington 

and Halton, who would like to achieve an 

NVQ level 2 and who have no previous 

qualifications at this level. 

If you are working or volunteering you 

can start with an NVQ Level 1 in your 

workplace. 

Or you can try an introductory 

programme covering topics such as 

confidence building and customer service 

skills. 

The 6 Month Plus Offer is available to 

Jo Colyer (left) and 

Keren Sutton hang a 

picture for the exhibition 

those who have been unemployed for more 

than 6 months or more and are claiming 

Job Seekers Allowance. 

Response To Redundancy is a similar 

programme available to those who have 

been made redundant or who are serving 

notice. 

You will learn employability skills followed 

by taster days in a variety of departments. 

You may then have the option of further 

college training or gain an industry 

placement with NVQ training. You can also 

take NPTC certificates and other industry 

qualifications. There is a special a five 

week programme for those interested 

in horticulture which can lead onto a 

recognised qualification. 

Contact Tammy Sinden on 01270 613196 

18 

COLLEGE

Landmark training course for 

instructors 

Nineteen practical 

instructors have passed a 

new teaching qualification with 

flying colours. 

Our staff followed an intensive 

five day programme to gain a 

professional certificate in education. 

The City & Guilds PTTLS 

(Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong 

Learning Sector) programme 

is one of the latest government 

initiatives to drive up the levels 

of professional qualifications in 

teaching and learning. 

Reaseheath teamed up with 

AtLast! Training Ltd to create 

a bespoke course allowing 

our instructors to study during 

college holidays, avoiding 

disruption to students. 

Vice Principal Dave Kynaston 

said: “This has been a milestone 

for Reaseheath. It has been the first 

time that our instructors have had 

the opportunity to gain teaching 

School Days 

Life down on the farm 

Local primary schools are 

welcome to use the special 

educational facilities at our 

college during term time. 

Children can get close up 

and personal with some of the 

residents of our animal centre. We 

also have a farm park, stocked 

with rare domestic breeds. 

They can also take a trip 

round our college farm, which 

offers examples of high welfare 

farming systems, or use our 

woodland trail to look at a 

variety of wildlife habitats. 

Or they can try growing their 

own plants in our gardening 

department. 

Our Learning Lab is available 

over lunchtime for school 

groups. Cost £3.50 per child half 

a day / £5 full day 

Contact Judith Allman on 

01270 613219 

Successful instructors celebrate their new qualifications (with Dave Kynaston 

and Vince Holley and Margaret Doyle-Bennett from AtLast Training) 

qualifications in the workplace. The 

course was quite intensive but the 

staff’s commitment was impressive 

and their efforts will update their 

own personal qualifications as 

well as ensuring that Reaseheath 

remains at the cutting edge of 

technical delivery.” 

Succcessful instructors were: 

Agriculture: Dave Bramall, Mark 

Walton 

Animal Management: Lisa 

Garden makeover 

Boardman, Melissa Yaxley 

Construction: Andrew Gould, Dan 

Robson, Lee Steele, Danny Collins 

Countryside: Adam Dempsey, 

Alistair Maddock 

Engineering: Richard Hough, 

Will Hughes, Ryan Johnson, 

Gareth Baister, Andrew 

Jackson, Garry Walker 

Equine: Liz Lyonette 

Food Industry: James 

Blakemore, Jenny Tait 

Our Foundation horticulture students have been improving the 

garden for the residents of the Wingate Centre in Wrenbury, an 

educational centre for children with disabilities. 

They have been tidying the borders and making the beds more 

wheelchair friendly and accessible as part of their course. 

REASEHEATH AT 

A GLANCE 

• Outstanding College (Ofsted) 

• Beacon College (QIA) 

• Dairy Champion National Skills 

Academy for Food and Drink 

Manufacture 

• Engineering Academy 

14 years - 19 years 

• Training Quality Standard 

• Quality standard for information 

advice and guidance services 

Subject areas: 

Further and Higher Education 

• Adventure Sports 

• Agriculture 

• Animal Management 

• Business and IT 

• Construction 

• Countryside and Conservation 

• Engineering 

• Entry and Foundation Programme 

• Equine 

• Floristry 

• Horticulture 

• Food Technology 

• Greenkeeping and Sports Turf 

• Motor Vehicle 

• Sports Performance and 

Excellence 

• Leisure and Community Studies 

In association with: 

Total students: 

Full time Further Education: 1,500 

Higher Education: 400 

Part-time inc. adult leisure: 4,000 

Schools partnerships, work based 

learning and Train to Gain 1,400 

Estate 

College grounds: 21 hectares 

Owned and rented farm land: 330 

hectares 

Land leased to Crewe Alexandra 

Football Club: 6 hectares 

Turnover 

Academic year 2007-08: £16 million 

Facilities 

On-site accommodation for 400; five 

catering outlets; student lounge/bar; 

learning resource centre; HE study 

area; sports hall; climbing wall; 

multi gym; sports pitches (rugby, 

football, crown green bowling, 

cricket); commercial nine-hole golf 

course; indoor riding arena 

Staff 

500 (including agency) 

Further details - please ask for a 

prospectus 

Reaseheath College 

Nantwich Cheshire CW5 6DF 

Course Hotline (16-18 years): 

01270 613242 

Courses Hotline (19 plus) 

01270 613284 

Adult Leisure: 01270 613193 

Reception: 01270 625131 

Fax: 01270 625665 

Email: enquiries@reaseheath.ac.uk 

Web: www.reaseheath.ac.uk 


19

Animal centre experience 

Reaseheath’s Animal Centre 

was the first college based 

centre in the country to be 

awarded a zoo licence. 

We have just had our licence 

approved for the second 

time, with inspectors from the 

British and Irish Association of 

Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) 

complimenting us on our 

excellent standards of animal 

husbandry and welfare, very 

good enclosures and clear 

management. 

Our Animal Centre houses over 

300 species of mammals, birds, 

reptiles, amphibians, fish and 

invertebrates. 

Families can now visit our 

animal centre and farm park on 

Families visiting our maze this year will have to be 

prepared to come under Reaseheath’s spell! 

Witches and wizards is the theme for our popular 

puzzle, which is hidden within our giant maize crop. 

Our ‘Witches’ maze covers eight acres – equivalent 

to more than three full sized football pitches – and 

incorporates two miles of paths and bridges. We 

have also constructed a smaller ‘Spider’s web’ for 

younger or less active visitors. Wizardly characters 

are hiding in both mazes. 

Unfortunately we can’t hand out broomsticks, but 

selected dates. You can walk 

round our paddocks, which are 

home to tapirs Ernie and Timmy, 

serval cat George and our friendly 

family of ring tailed lemurs. 

Meerkats, spider monkeys and 

porcupines are some of the other 

residents you may meet. Our 

farm park has wallabies, pygmy 

goats, Cameroon sheep, rhea, 

alpaca and ponies. 

Events such as reptile handling 

will be held throughout the 

day. Other activities will include 

quizzes and face painting. 

The first open day is on 

Sunday June 28 10am - 4pm. 

Entry fee: Adults £3.50, Children 

£2, Family ticket £10. 

Contact 01270 613222 

Ready to meet the public: alpaca, ring tailed lemurs and Ernie the tapir 

Prepare to be Spellbound! 

Full house at lambing event 

Action in the lambing sheds 

A record number of visitors 

flocked into college to meet our 

newly born lambs. 

Hundreds of families watched 

lambs being born and cared 

for, and children were able 

to cuddle some of the new 

arrivals. We were also visited by 

ITV weather girl Jo Blythe, who 

presented her report from the 

lambing sheds. 

A big screen showed video clips 

of earlier action and our experts 

were on hand to demonstrate the 

special care required for a few of 

the lambs, such as bottle feeding 

and fostering. 

Other stars of our popular 

event included a collection 

of creatures from our animal 

centre. Litters of piglets, a 

display of tractors, a children’s 

quiz and a garden plant sale 

were additional attractions. 

Our agricultural students had 

worked around the clock to make 

sure the lambs and ewes had the 

best care. Around 500 of our sheep 

give birth each year. Our lambing 

events have been running for the 

past 20 years and are becoming 

more popular each year. 

Said Steve Roach, Section 

Manager for Agriculture: “These 

events give us a fantastic 

opportunity to show off the type of 

work we do and the outstanding 

calibre of our students.” 

each group of visitors receives a flag to wave if the 

quest for the maze centre gets too difficult! 

Maze games and light refreshments are available and 

we have picnic tables and plenty of space for parking. 

Witches and Wizards Maze is open from July 18 

to September 6. 11am – 6pm (last ticket 4.30pm). 

Family ticket £15; Adults £5; Children / 

Concessions £4; Children under three free. 

Evening and group bookings on request. 

Contact Jane Clegg 01270 613215 email 

janec@reaseheath.ac.uk 

Diary Dates… 

Come and see us! 

June 2009 

23-24 

Cheshire Show 

23 

Courses Information Event, all levels 

(book beforehand) 6pm start 

27 

Reaseheath Golf Club Open Day 

10am - 4pm 

27-28 

Arley Garden Festival 

28 

Animal Centre Experience, 


July 2009 

2 

Graduation ceremony, Reaseheath 

4 

Young Farmers Rally, Reaseheath 

5 

The One Earth Festival, Bickley Hall 

10-12 

Bolesworth Show Jumping Classic, 

Tattenhall 

18 

Witches and Wizards Maze opens at 

Reaseheath, until September 6 

18 

Newport Show 

22-26 

RHS Show Tatton Park 

29 

Nantwich Show 

August 2009 

5-6 

Bakewell Show 

14-15 

Shrewsbury Flower Show 

16 

Cheshire Game and Angling Fair, 

Peover 

September 2009 

6 

Witches and Wizards maze closes, 


16-17 

Dairy Event and Livestock Show, 

Stoneleigh Park 

26 

Reaseheath Golf Club Open Day 

10am – 4pm 

30 

Cheshire Ploughing and 

Hedgecutting Championships 

October 2009 

17-18 

Apple festival, Reaseheath 

www.reaseheath.ac.uk l 01270 625131 

Written and edited by Reaseheath’s Press Officer Lynne Lomax 01270 613279 l Designed inhouse by Colin Barnes l Inhouse photography by Paul Daniels l Printed by Inprint Colour Limited 01270 251589

GrassRoots Edition 17 - Reaseheath College

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