COLLEGE The latest news from Reaseheath College issue 18 Reaseheath’s Principal honoured by OBE easeheath College Principal Meredydd’s wife Lisa, son Thomas, 26, RMeredydd David has received his and daughter Cerys, 22. The couple’s OBE from HRH The Prince of Wales. second son, Owain, joined the family later. Meredydd, who became head of Since Meredydd’s appointment, our college in 2004, was selected for Reaseheath’s student numbers and the 2009 Queen’s Birthday Honours in income have doubled and our college recognition of his outstanding services has gained recognition as being one of to local and national Further Education. the premier land based colleges in Britain. He spent several moments at Reaseheath’s raft of awards include his investiture chatting to Prince an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted and Beacon Charles, who recalled visiting our food college status. We have also gained manufacturing halls in 2005. Training Quality Standard (TQS) for Meredydd said: “It was a wonderful the way we respond to the needs of occasion and a very proud moment. employers. The ceremony was beautiful and I As well as taking the lead at was honoured to accept the OBE on Reaseheath, Meredydd is on the behalf of colleagues at Reaseheath. Board of Directors for LSIS, the It was recognition of the wonderful learning skills improvement service, achievements that Reaseheath has and he is chairman of Landex, the made both locally and nationally land-based colleges’ federation. He - success which can be attributed is also a council member for Lantra, to our team’s dedication and the sector skills council, chairman of Principal Meredydd David is professionalism.” the LSC Technical Funding Advisory invested with his OBE by HRH The ceremony, in the ballroom at Group, and on the North West Rural The Prince of Wales. Buckingham Palace, was watched by Affairs Forum Executive. Young designer strikes first time gold Budding garden designer Lee Belgrau took a coveted gold medal at one of the country’s most prestigious horticultural shows - at his first attempt. Lee, 21, who is studying for his Foundation Degree in Garden and Landscape Design, was also awarded the title of Tatton Park Young Designer of the Year at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Show Tatton Park. Lee scored top marks with a garden called Red Rhythm, which he designed and built with a team of fellow students. The garden was placed in a new category to showcase future talent but judged by the RHS against the same criteria as all other show gardens. Lee Belgrau, Tatton Park Young Lee’s contemporary style garden was aimed at a young, Designer of the Year, on his Red professional couple who would use it for relaxing and entertaining. Rhythm garden. He explained: “I wanted to show cutting edge design which is also practical and suitable for installation in a new garden. I’ve gained a lot of knowledge and skills while I’ve been at Reaseheath. I was really we created a specific platform to help young talent break into the excited to get the opportunity to show what I can do.” competitive world of garden design. This unique opportunity placed Lee is in his fourth year of study at Reaseheath, and has already raw talent alongside seasoned professionals, all working to the world- gained his National Certificate and National Diploma in Horticulture. He class standards expected at RHS shows.” has found that the gardening industry allows him to work out of doors Lee was joined in his garden build by fellow students including while continuing his interest in art and design. James Bellis, Martin Purvin, Ben Hattersley, Collette Ellison, Kirk Kris Hulewicz, show manager for the RHS Show Tatton Park said: Dadvidge, Chris Greenwood and David Billington. “We want to ensure the future of horticulture is bright, which is why * See page 3 for our other successes at RHS Show Tatton Park. www.reaseheath.ac.uk l 01270 625131 Staying ahead of the curve his autumn we recruited record We continue to invest in specialist This important service is delivered through Tnumbers of further and higher resources and facilities to ensure we give our Enterprise Hub and includes work on education students. This substantial the best education and training possible. sustainability and food and energy security. growth is in all areas and includes This year we are investing a further £12 These will be increasingly important elements our Train to Gain and Apprenticeship million, bringing our total spend to over of our work and mission in future years. programmes. £30 million. The LSC and the North West The major successes that you will read Reaseheath’s excellent reputation Regional Development Agency (NWDA) about in this 18th edition of Grass Roots continues to spread. Our focus on delivering have recognised the value of investing in will, I am sure, amaze you. These are only the best experience possible to all our Reaseheath and we are grateful to them for possible because of our team of wonderful students, including those in employment, their support. staff and the hard work of our students. has contributed significantly to our success. Our work in support of rural businesses Once again our student achievements and communities continues to grow and we and successes are second to none and their are a major delivery partner for the NWDA in qualification success rate and progression a number of Rural Development Programmes into higher education or employment places for England (RDPE) schemes. Expansion in us in the top ten per cent of all colleges in this area has enhanced our education, training, England. Our excellent team of dedicated, knowledge exchange and research work professional staff makes all of this possible which, in turn, supports and increases the Meredydd David OBE and I thank them all. competitiveness of industries and employers. Principal New build continues Construction students get Continuing expansion of our technical resources and facilities has resulted in several behind the scenes major building projects across Our construction students had a campus. unique opportunity to get behind This year we are investing a the scenes of a multi million further £12 million, including pound building project. £4 million on a new animal Thirty trainee bricklayers and management centre and about joiners joined main contractor £7 million to complete our ISG for a guided site tour of our Food Academy and Centre of unique food and dairy processing Excellence. This will bring our plant. The plant is currently investment over recent years to undergoing a £6 million extension over £30 million. and refurbishment which, when We already have eight new New accommodation at completed next Spring, will offer buildings on site, including a Regents campus. world class technical facilities to learning skills centre, a dedicated Reaseheath’s food manufacture Engineering Skills Academy, an by acquiring nearly 100 extra students and to north west Construction students enjoy their IT Centre, an upgrade for our bedrooms at our new Regents businesses. site visit. equine centre, a purpose built Campus in Nantwich. ISG has taken the lead on a construction workshop and two Our on site farm has 16 week, fast track programme has been a great opportunity halls of residence. benefited from a cutting edge to prepare the building for for the students to see theory Reaseheath has nearly milking parlour and improved the installation of specialist put into practice by a national 7,000 students from 110 local accommodation for the Genus equipment. company. Seeing how Steve authorities and from over a MOET herd. A high welfare The students, who are taking has progressed will also dozen countries. We have commercial pig unit has been a full time Level 2 Construction encourage them to take their met the increased demand for built to RSPCA freedom food Diploma, heard ISG site manager own careers forward.” residential accommodation standards. Steve Lowton describe the daily Reaseheath is recognised challenges of working on a high as an international centre of profile and time sensitive project. excellence for dairy training and He also introduced them to new is dairy champion within the building techniques, particularly National Skills Academy for Food those concerning sustainability and Drink Manufacture. and energy efficiency. As well as providing Steve himself joined the industry level resources to industry as an apprentice joiner Reaseheath’s full time food and worked his way up to his manufacture students and to food current position. He said: “We manufacturers, the food halls will have been delighted to give the be used by students on Project students some site experience. Eden, a new training programme Hopefully it will open their eyes to delivering a globally recognised the opportunities available within degree level qualification in dairy the construction industry.” technology to those already The new farrowing village. Tutor Jim Spooner said: “This working in the industry. 2 issue 18 RHS Show Tatton Park ‘Edible Trends’ garden creates a buzz Gordon Burns and Diane Oxberry present the news from the BBC North West Tonight garden. The completed show garden. he BBC North West Tonight Contemporary planting in T‘Edible Trends’ bee friendly abstract shapes and bold blocks garden created a real buzz at the of colour - the trademark of RHS Show Tatton Park. Reaseheath show gardens - Designed and created for impressed the judges, as did the the BBC by our garden design creation of a wildlife habitat from students, the show garden was natural materials. Eye catching planting from awarded a silver gilt medal and This was the second time the North West Tonight ‘Edible drew crowds as it was used as a that our students have had the Trends’ garden. base for live coverage of the event.