A natural habitat created by a Yorkshire college to protect a rare beetle has received its first new population.

The rare tansy beetle, a nationally endangered species, is restricted to a 26-mile stretch of the flood-prone banks of the River Ouse between York and Selby. York land-based college Askham Bryan has created a new habitat, known as an ark, to encourage the beetles to breed away from the flood risk. Tansy is the sole food of the beetle so a plantation of tansy was established in the ark a year ago.

A group of 25 beetles has now been relocated from the National Trust-owned Beningborough Hall near York to the college grounds, following their emergence from winter hibernation.

Dr Deirdre Rooney, lecturer in Countryside Management at Askham Bryan College, said: “The beetles have settled in well and I have already found eggs on the tansy in the ark so the initial signs are good.” She said that the first official monitoring of the ark would not take place until August, when the new generation of adult beetles emerge from pupae, with results of the breeding programme not known for a year.

If successful, the ark population will then be used to help boost populations in other areas.

The relocation of the beetles to the ark at Askham Bryan College was overseen by the Tansy Beetle Action Group, made up of North Yorkshire County Council, the City of York Council, the Environment Agency, and the University of York The group has secured funding from the SITA Trust over three years to undertake a number of conservation measures, including the ark, which is the work of Countryside Management, Environmental and Land-Based Studies and Gamekeeping students at the college who began creating the new habitat around a year ago. Students are also involved in habitat conservation work at Rawcliffe Meadows on the banks of the Ouse, a natural tansy beetle habitat, to preserve not only the tansy beetle but other wildlife in the habitat.

Askham Bryan College is setting up a tansy beetle blog on its website at www.askham-bryan.ac.uk to chart the progress of the beetles in the ark.

Image:

• Student Ben Thompson with one of the tansy beetles.

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The awards were made by the Sheriff of York, Alan Deller, and the eight were:  Josh Crow, Matt Codling, Carl Herrington, Faye Leavy, Christina Lofthouse, Declan Parks, plus Nathan and Rosie. 

All received the Level 1 Prince's Trust Certificate in Employment, Teamwork and Community Skills, and  Level 2 Awards in Emergency First Aid at Work. To gain the certificates they have taken part in a 12 week programme across a wide range of activities.

Andrew Hall, Prince's Trust Team Leader at Askham Bryan College said: “The awards are aimed at encouraging personal growth and developing skills for life and the success of these young people is richly deserved. For several, this will be their most important achievement to date so it is very significant. They have all gained in confidence and knowledge, and are now much better equipped to achieve their full potential in life.”

For 17 year old Faye Leavy who comes from Copmanthorpe, a career in motor engineering is now in her sights. “The programme really helped to build up my skills and confidence, so much so that I've decided to go for my Level 3 in Vehicle and Motor Sport Engineering, so I will be back at Askham Bryan in September as a full time student.”

Over the past three months, their activities included working with a York community project at the former Nestle site, building raised beds for allotments for disabled users. A week was also spent working with adults with learning difficulties at Brunswick Organic Nursery at Bishopthorpe, and personal development skills were enhanced during a residential week in the Peak District when orienteering, caving, abseiling and climbing were on the agenda.

In addition, the students have undertaken two week's work experience, developed writing their CVs and interview skills as well as putting on their wellies and helping out at the College farm.

For 18 year old Matt Codling of York, it has provided much needed focus after leaving school. He said: “Working together as a team with people from different backgrounds has broadened my horizons and following my work experience with the RSPCA in York, I'm going to continue there as a volunteer.”

 Askham Bryan College is preparing for the arrival of eight ex-commercial laying hens to live in their brand new specially built residence. A far cry from their old battery cages it is hoped the hens will gain a new lease of life when they move into their more spacious surroundings on the 14^th May.

Askham Bryan are delighted to take delivery of the birds after working alongside The British Hen Welfare Trust which, supported by celebrities such as Jamie Oliver and Alan Titchmarsh, encourages free range practices and hen welfare whilst also supporting the British egg industry.

The hens are at the end of their commercial egg laying life and this change of environment will hopefully be a catalyst to ensure the ‘girls’ will begin to happily lay free range eggs as they scrape and forage in a more natural habitat.

Leonie Hadland, Level 2 Course Manager "The staff and students are very excited about being able to give these hens the free range life they deserve, it will be hard but rewarding work to rehabilitate them."

The Level 3 Animal Management course at Bradford includes a module on Avian Health and Management, so students will look after the hens as they start their new free range life, and will be shown how ethical and good welfare practices are important to modern farming methods.

It was a very successful evening with one of the students personally raising over £600.00 in sponsorship.

The Mount School Team will be travelling to complete a community project in Namibia in the Summer of 2013.

This show garden was designed and built by Level 3 ED Year 1 students. One student said, 'The construction of this garden was challenging but a rewarding experience. We couldn’t have created this garden without the help and support from the staff and tutors. The development and planning started in November and we have been able to use it to help us towards our assignments such as ‘Horizontal Landscapes and ‘Exterior Planting Displays’. We have learned a lot about each other, working as a team, solving and overcoming problems.'

The Harrogate Spring Flower Show is held at the Harrogate Show Garden from today (Thurs 26^th) until Sunday 29^th April if you would like to go and see the garden for yourself. The floristry students also have an exhibit there which is being judged today.

Visitors were shown by our students how to handle our African Pygmy Hedgehogs, rabbits, rats, bearded dragons and even face their fears by holding a snake or tarantula! Children enjoyed having their faces painted, taking part in hook a duck and were able to make a bird feeder to take home with them.

Two students excelled themselves in making beautiful home made cakes and scones fresh that morning, which needless to saywent down very well! Money made from selling the refreshments was split between a local wildlife charity and our Animal Unit.

One visitor said 'It was very interesting and great hands on experience for the children with very informative staff and students.'

Watch this space for further events happening at our Scarborough Centre.

Featuring music from the past, present and future InsideOut will be held in a combination of indoor and outdoor spaces, within the confines of the wonderful venue that is Askham Bryan College in York and is part of the York 800 celebrations.

York Does Vintage will be hosting a gorgeous vintage event for all ages within InsideOut; expect glamour, beauty, dancing, music, vintage inspired workshops, and of course exciting and fabulous vintage stalls.  The Best of British Jubilee tent will have a fine selection of locally sourced real ales & a Pimms bar, hosted by Wold Top Brewery & The Fox pub; plus the wonderful Tea Shop, with a sumptuous selection of tea & cakes served on beautiful vintage china.  The DeliciouslYorkshire farmers market will be onsite, so expect a tasty array of locally produced delights and scrummy hot treats.  Bar Lane Studios will be represented by Wrongside of the River & The Division of Spectacular Tasks, who will create fantastic fringe entertainment, including free workshops for the kids.  YO1 will also offer a variety of free inflatable’s and free face painting for all children 12 years and under.

There will be four stages of live music hosted by The Duchess, Circulation Magazine (York University), Freakin & Irie Vibes Soundsystem.

It's to our great delight that Young Knives have agreed to headline the Duchess stage at our inaugural Inside Out festival.  Having re-raised their trio of bonces last year with the release of their third, and most complete record, 'Ornaments From The Silver Arcade', their success and longevity is much to do with the bands fantastic live performances. Young Knives will no doubt delight the YO1 audience with their maelstrom of danceable pop songs.

Preceding them is The Crookes, Sheffield's lovelorn pop romantics, whose second album is due out in spring. Stephanie Min's sweet vocals and a tiny batch of special songs make The History Of Apple Pie one of the most exciting bands in the country right now & Herman Dune, whose cult 'fame' arrived through ten live John Peel radio sessions.  The Duchess tempted them to York for the first time in 2011, and it's a delight to have this fantastic live band in town once more.

Craig Charles headlines the Circulation stage!  Craig became a part of the national consciousness by playing Lister in the huge comedy hit Red Dwarf.  Craig is quickly becoming one of the hottest properties in the funk & soul scene, with his BBC Radio 6 show gaining plaudits from the music world and listeners alike. His Dj sets have been exploding over clubs and festivals for the last few years and we are hugely excited to have him play a Dj set at this years YO1.

Main support comes from legendary funk outfit the Haggis Horns, credited for supplying the brass to Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back to Black’ album and currently Mark Ronson’s brass section. 

In the early part of the day singer songwriters and folk artists take the lead and include Liz Green, Joseph & David and Serious Sam Barrett.

The Freakin stage sees Will Saul, the producer & Dj behind Simple Records/Aus Music, take to the turntables and is sure to set the dance floor alight!  Back up comes from up and coming Dj/ Producer Craig Bratley and many other well-known faces from York.

The mighty Channel One Soundsystem, stalwarts of the Notting Hill carnival, and arguably one of the best reggae Soundsystems in Europe, headline on the Irie Vibes Soundsystem stage, along with Bristol bass pioneer Rob Smith aka RSD and drum & bass duo Benny Page B2B with Zero G.

Tickets

£15 – Adult (18+)

£10 – Teen 13 to 17 years (13-15 year olds with accompanying adult over 25 years old, at all times)

12’s & under are free (with accompanying adult at all times)

For further information on all of the acts performing at InsideOut and to buy tickets please view our website: www.yo1events.co.uk  & for queries contact us at: info@yo1events.co.uk

Lynne Appleyard from the Centre said 'It was a fab day, we made nearly £400 on the stalls and bouncy castle which will be donated to a charity of the students' choice.'

Watch this space for further events happening at our Bradford Centre.

It was a testing three days, with the full range of British weather conditions to deal with and some very chilly evening camps. The group worked very well together to complete the journey in high spirits (despite a few very impressive blisters!) and are well set for their final expedition.

The assessed expedition will take place in Nidderdale in June. Good luck!

Snakes, tortoises, tarantulas, a bearded dragon, as well as ferrets, rabbits and hairy armadillos – to name but a few - will be the stars of the day when visitors get an insight into working with mammals, reptiles and fish. Demonstrations in the College's Animal Management Centre will include showing the correct way of handling animals and how to health check your favourite pets. In addition there will be working dog demonstrations and dog grooming demonstrations

Sharon Sheppard, Section Leader of Animal Management said: “This is a great opportunity to come and see all the animals we have here and get an idea of all the courses we offer.” Entry is £2.50 with under 16s free, and the event runs from 10am – 4pm.

For more information see www.askham-bryan.ac.uk

Photo shows an Animal Management student with one of the College's iguanas.

Roger Sweet, Head of Shows at the Royal Horticultural Society, met staff and students as part of the preparations for hosting one of the training sessions for the prestigious World Skills competition. The next selection events take place at Tatton Park in Cheshire and the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate.

The College has a superb history of success in the contest which has seen students, trained by international judge and lecturer, Harry Turner compete all over the world.

During his visit, Mr Sweet outlined the support the RHS can offer as part of preparations which will see 12 would-be competitors eventually whittled down to the final two who will compete at the next World Skills event. This takes place in Germany in July 2013. The RHS is supporting the development and training focusing on the planting element.

Picture: The Press, York

Snakes, tortoises, tarantulas and a whole host of birds, fish and lizards will be the stars of the centre's first Encounter Day when the doors will be thrown open for visitors to meet the “residents.”

Centre Manager, Michelle Hadland said: “This is a great opportunity to come and see all the animals we have here. The day's packed with everything from animal handling demonstrations to dog grooming and mini beast talks, and there's even more for youngsters with a bouncy castle, a treasure hunt and plenty of games.”

“It's also a wonderful chance for anyone who's interested in a career working with animals, whether it's being a vet or a vet nurse, working in a zoo or even dog grooming. Our tutors will be on hand to chat through the courses we offer,” she added. The day is free to all and runs from 11am – 4pm.

The centre, which is on Cousen Road, offers a wide range of courses, from Level 1, which is suitable for anyone with no formal qualifications, through to Level 3 Extended Diploma which is equivalent to 3 A'levels.

For more information ring Askham Bryan College on 01904 772277.

Photo shows student Amy Shipley with one of the resident tortoises. 

The new “exotic room” at Askham Bryan College's Animal Management Centre in Scarborough is now up and running – and with “residents” now very much at home.

And visitors are able to get first hand experience of everything from snakes to chameleons during the Centre's first “Animal Encounter Day”  which is free and will be be held on Saturday 21 April at the Centre in Sandybed Road. A similar Encounter Day is also being held at the York Campus.

Fiona Foster, Centre Manager said: “We're throwing open the doors to families and particularly young children, plus anyone interested in learning about the wide range of courses that are available in animal management. As well as being able to handle the animals, there will be fun activities such as face painting, a cake stall and making a bird feeder. In addition tutors will be on hand to chat about what the various courses entail, from the Level 1 course which is suitable for someone with no formal qualifications, through to the Level 3 Extended Diploma which is equivalent to three A'levels. It's a great opportunity to come along and see what it's all about.”

The exotic room is home to wide range of animals including a python, leopard gecko, bearded dragons and Moroccan Eyed Lizards, to name but a few.  In addition visitors can also see sugar gliders, African pygmy hedgehogs, naked rats, chinchilla, ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs and small rodents.   Doors open at 10am until 2pm.

For more information please call: Karen Ferguson, Deputy Section Leader for Animal Management on 01723 380738. See also  www.askham-bryan.ac.uk

Ipswich, Suffolk (March 27, 2012) Askham Bryan College, the centre of educational excellence for land-based careers, has signed a rolling 12-month preferred supplier agreement with Ransomes Jacobsen Ltd, the Ipswich-based turf maintenance equipment manufacturer.

Askham Bryan has been at the forefront of training in sports turf maintenance for over thirty years, offering various routes of learning from Level 2 and 3 Apprenticeships through to Foundation Degree. From September 2012, this will be enhanced with a full time Level 2 course in sports turf maintenance.

Ransomes Jacobsen and their local dealer Golf and Turf Machinery have formally signed this agreement to enable the college’s full time and work-based sports turf apprentices to have access to modern and innovative turf maintenance equipment.

The agreement will see Ransomes Jacobsen providing demonstration equipment to the college, through Golf and Turf Machinery, coupled with regular lectures on a range of turf maintenance subjects.  The college will also provide Ransomes Jacobsen with lecturers for road shows and demo days.

As part of the agreement the Level 2 and Level 3 Sports Turf Apprenticeship programmes will be sponsored by Ransomes Jacobsen, with a trophy awarded to the best apprentice each year.

“I am delighted that Ransomes Jacobsen along with their dealer, Golf and Turf Machinery, has agreed to become partners in the education of future greenkeepers and groundsmen here at Askham Bryan College,” said Stuart Green Level 2 Apprentice Course Manager.  “It is through their help and foresight that these young people will have the very best grounding in all aspects of turf maintenance.”

Jim Whitton, regional sales manager at Ransomes Jacobsen added,

“As a manufacturer and an integral part of this global turf industry, we are equally delighted to be highly involved with the education of tomorrow’s professional turf managers. Students from Askham Bryan are working at some of the most prestigious sporting venues around the world, which is a testament to the quality of education they receive at Askham Bryan.

“From a personal perspective, I studied at the college and gained my qualifications in agricultural engineering; qualification that have served me well throughout my career.”

-MORE-

About Askham Bryan College

The college is one of fastest growing land-based educational facilities in the UK, with a range of relevant courses, excellent tutors and superb facilities. Courses begin at entry level with starter courses, continue through work based learning and can lead to an honours degree. The residential campus is located near York and there are centres at Bedale, Guisborough (with courses up to degree level), Harrogate and Thirsk. Animal management courses are available at Bradford, Middlesbrough, Scarborough and Wakefield. To add to this portfolio, Askham Bryan have taken over the management of Newton Rigg College, in Cumbria.  All lecturers have a vast knowledge of their subject areas and many have had considerable experience working in industry.

About Textron Inc.

Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defence, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. For more information visit: www.textron.com.

For further information please contact:

Peter Driver, Public Relations and Media Communications Manager, Ransomes Jacobsen,

West Road, Ransomes Europark, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 9TT.  

Tel: 01473 276386.  Email: peterd@tip.textron.com.

Yesterday students from Askham Bryan College in Bradford put their fundraising hats on for Sports Relief. They managed to raise £120 through a bun sale, tombola, pop and sweets sale, face painting and many other stalls. On the back of this the students also took part in a football tournament, rounders game and an egg and spoon relay. Great fun was had by all on the day!

Making Way For Wildlife

Students at Askham Bryan College near York have completed the latest stage of a scheme to revitalise valuable habitats on a floodplain meadow on the banks of the River Ouse.

The students are working with the Friends of Rawcliffe Meadows and York Natural Environment Trust which manage the 25-acre nature reserve.

Students from Environmental and Countryside Management courses have been coppicing and pollarding trees in an area of copse to encourage new plant species and wildlife into the area. Their efforts should help to create denser stands of vegetation and open up the copse floor to sunlight to promote growth.

Rawcliffe Meadows is also home to the rare tansy beetle, a nationally endangered species which is restricted to a 26-mile stretch of the Ouse. As part of the initiative, a beetle “ark” was created at the College in 2011 to protect beetle populations but the project will also see the replanting of tansy, the sole food of the beetle, at Rawcliffe Meadows.

Dr Deirdre Rooney, lecturer in the Agriculture section at Askham Bryan College, said the latest work was contributing to the protection of valuable habitats and the next step would be to protect the tansy plot from the damage caused by livestock by fencing it off.

She said: “This presents an opportunity for Askham Bryan students to be involved in further conservation of the tansy beetle in its natural habitat, whilst also managing the landscape to allow diverse flora and fauna to flourish.”

Mick Phythian of the Friends of Rawcliffe Meadows said the students not only provided much-needed manpower but were also able to provide specialist skills, such as tree pollarding, to improve the area. He said: “This is a rapidly disappearing type of grassland and restoring it in this way makes it much more accessible for wildlife, not only the tansy beetle but also other species which are reducing, such as tree sparrows and great tits.”

Rawcliffe Meadows forms part of the Clifton floodplain and alongside the species-rich floodplain meadow, habitats include copse, cornfield, ponds and “wet scrapes”, the latter created by students last year to provide environments for amphibians and invertebrates.

(Top Left) At work at Rawcliffe Meadows are, from left, Kyle Barlow, Andrew Emsley, Sam Johnson and Dr Deidre Rooney

(Bottom Left) Adam Temple at work reducing the canopy

Students from six colleges battled it out for the crown of Young Gardener of the Year Competition held at the Ideal Home Exhibition in London. Askham Bryan College students lead the way and came out victorious with the shining gold medal for their garden.

The team was made up of Liam Stafford, Joe Lofthouse, Sam Tankard and Stuart Pearson  all of whom are in their final year studying a level 3 horticulture  diploma at the college. The week long build focused on recycling within the garden, using the wood from trees that needed felling, recycled timber and plants taken from the woodland at the college. All plants used in the garden are going to be reinstalled into the ground to be used again.

Ray Wood, part of the Arboretum Trust’s Kew at Castle Howard, is renowned for its rhododendron collection, which curator Jan Hoyland said is recognised as being the best in the north of England.

The wood dates back to the 18th century, but has seen many changes, not least its timber being cleared for use in the First World War, and was replanted with trees in the 1960s.

The work has been carried out by a team of 25 volunteers, plus support from York University and Askham Bryan College.

Jane said: “Everyone has worked tirelessly and cheerfully in all sorts of weather to achieve such fabulous results.

“None of this would have happened without them. We are now looking forward to this year when we will be putting the final touches in place in the magical wood.”

The arboretum trust is in talks with Ryedale’s planning department to provide a new volunteer training, management and storage complex, plus a propagation facility with greenhouses, polytunnels and nursery beds.

Administrator Maurag Carmichael said: “It will enable the arboretum to propagate and nurture cuttings and seedlings from its very own rare plants to replenish older stock and sell a surplus of young and rare seedlings.”

Fantasy Farmers are recovering this week from their annual study tour that took place last week in Ireland. 20 Farmers and 3 members of the Rural Business Research Unit began the two day tour at 4am on Wednesday 7^th March and had a jam packed itinerary visiting a variety of farms and of course not forgetting the whiskey distillery!

The tour began at two suckler farms which were part of the ‘Better Farm’ programme, RBRU research officer Oli White comments ‘It was very interesting visiting these farms and to see how their profitability had improved with little investment just by a changing working practises slightly. One farm we visited had improved profitability by 44,000 euros over 3 years’. Day one ended with a sample of fine Whiskeys at Cooley Distillery, Ireland’s only independent whiskey distillery producing award winning single malts, this was greatly appreciated at the end of a busy day! Day two of the tour was spent at Freddie Merrin farm, an award winning beef producer who recently made the dramatic change from continental bulls to dairy bred bulls.

Fun was had by all on this year’s tour but most importantly visiting these farms gave a valuable insight into grassland management and calving patterns, and provided the farmers with ideas for their own fantasy farming projects.

Our Welcome to Wellywood competition gives you the chance to make a spoof of any iconic film scene. All we ask is that you give it a farming twist.

You could be James Bond in a farmyard, Kate Winslet "flying" on the front of a stationary tractor, Dirty Dancing in a barn or posing with your friends, Reservoir Dogs-style, at an event or show.

It might be a clip from an action or adventure film. Your favourite romantic comedy. A gangster film. A war epic. A love story. Any scene from any film is eligible just as long as your version has an agricultural feel to it.

The winning video will bag its maker(s) £400, plus £200 of cinema vouchers.

So, whether you're a student, members of a Young Farmers club, a group of friends or workmates or a family, here's your chance to have some fun and take part in a great competition.

It doesn't matter how short your clip is (30 seconds is absolutely fine), although you may of course have directorial ambitions and want to make it longer!

No need, either, to worry that it won't be of a professional standard - we're looking for clips that make us smile rather than ones that are professionally acted or directed!

Once you've filmed and edited your clip. load it into YouTube and send us the link.

We'll give consideration when we're picking the winner to how many views it's had - so be sure to make sure all your family and friends, colleagues and neighbours watch it!

For the judging process, we'll be enlisting some help from someone well known who's connected to the countryside - we'll be unveiling this judge soon so keep an eye out for details!

So, move over Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese. Stand aside Meryl Streep and George Clooney - it's time for Farmers Weekly readers to step into the limelight. Welcome, Farmers Weekly readers, to Wellywood.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

* The competition is open to anyone. Young Farmers, college students, work mates, family members or friends – even those involved in any of the ancillary industries or who just happen to live in a rural area.

* Your clip can be as long or as short as you want, and can be as close to - or as unlike - the original as you want. Just as long as we'll recognise the film you're spoofing.

* It doesn't have to be up to BBC production standards. This is a bit of fun so a short video, even if it's filmed on your phone, will be fine.

* The first prize of £400 will be awarded to the individual or group that enters the clip which the FW judges like best.

HOW TO ENTER

* Once you've done the fun bit and filmed your scene, upload it to YouTube and email us the link at fwfarmlife@rbi.co.uk

* Include a brief bit of information about who you are, where you're from and why you picked the scene you did.

* Make sure all entries are with us by Monday 11 June, 2012.

* Sit back in your director's chair and wait for us to announce the winner

For more information click here

The trail is being created by Piglets at The Farmer’s Cart at Towthorpe Moor Lane and incorporates native trees and hedgerow to allow visiting schoolchildren to find out more about the British countryside and the wildlife that inhabits it. The trail will include a pond area, a section which illustrates habitats of birds and insects, a willow walk and a cross-section of a badgers’ sett.

Fourteen apprentices, under the guidance of Arboricultural Apprenticeships leader James Stacey, have planted the mixed woodland to enhance the farm’s existing woodland areas.

The Farmer’s Cart runs tours for primary school pupils to find out where food comes from, showing them how crops are grown and animals reared. One of the partners in the family-run business, Margaret Sykes, said: “The nature trail will help to show the children other aspects of the countryside, such as wildlife. We have deer and badgers on the farm and, while they are unlikely to spot them, we hope that they will be able to see some of our many species of wild birds and that we can help them to understand how wildlife lives side by side with farming.”

James Stacey said that the project had provided a great opportunity for the apprentices to contribute to an initiative that would benefit the community.

Are you aged 14 or above?

Why not join us at Askham Bryan College to discover all things Animal?

A one day experience that will introduce you to some interesting characters and learn about their world and how we provide their creature comforts.

Monday 2nd April or Tuesday 3rdh April (10am-3pm) at York

Monday 2nd April (10am-3pm) at  Scarborough & Guisborough
 

Need to be aged 14 and above  - places are limited

Only £5 per person for the day payable in advance

Something Different

A chance for young people to discover the animal world above and beyond the usual household pets. Learners will have an intensive ‘bite size’ experience of animal management and the role we play in their conservation and welfare.

• Experience a variety of species including mammals, reptiles, tropicals, fish and birds
• Workshop environment  involving feeding, handling and caring for the animals
• Engaging sessions giving you a ‘bite size’ knowledge of essential animal care
• Cover aspects such as anatomy, nutrition, habitat and welfare & behaviour
• Help build confidence
• Interactive and fun while also highlighting respect & responsibilities involved with animals  
• A great initial insight if you’re  thinking about becoming a Vet, Vet Nursing or Zoo Keeping
• Links well with aspects of science and biology
• Highlight potential career pathways and how they might get there
• All activities risk assessed and safe learning environment provided

For an application form or further details please contact Craig Kaye

Askham Bryan College, Askham Bryan,  York,  YO23 3FR

Tel: 01904 772352 or e-mail: craig.kaye@askham-bryan.ac.uk

Agri Students Prepare for a Challenge

Students from six agricultural colleges are battling it out to grow the best crop of winter wheat and win £1,000 in the Cereals Challenge 2012.

The challenge was launched on February 15 and aims to encourage a new generation of farmers and agronomists by giving them a plot of wheat to manage and sell. The competition, now in its third year, is organised by the UK’s leading farm business management company Velcourt and crop production specialists Hutchinsons.

Not only does the winning team receive a trophy and a prize of £1,000 to share, the winning college is also awarded £500.

The six plots are on the site of the Cereals event in Boothby Graffoe in Lincolnshire and the winner will be announced at the event on June 13.

Judges Keith Norman, Technical Director at Velcourt, Dick Neil of Hutchinsons, and Alastair Priestley, of Patrick Dean Ltd, Cereals’ host farmer, will look at each team’s technical merit, gross margin and quality and timeliness of recommendations.

This year’s six teams were chosen in a random draw from 12 that applied and are: Askham Bryan College; Bishop Burton College; Harper Adams University; Lincoln University; Newcastle University and Writtle College.

Last year Newcastle University scooped the prize and this year’s team leader Henry Ward is hoping to win again.

He says: “It’s a practical application of the theory we’ve learnt in lectures and I think I have an advantage as I took part last year. The competition was really close in 2011 so I’m not taking it for granted – we’ve got the worst plot this year too!”

Ken Shipley, Farms Director for the north and north east at Velcourt, says: “We run a scheme to train graduates to be Farm Managers and are actively looking for bright, enthusiastic students to join the company. The Cereals Challenge is an excellent opportunity for us to meet youngsters looking for a career in farming.” 

Mike Young, of Hutchinsons, says: “We feel it is very important for us to work closely with colleges and universities. We want to support the new entrants that are joining the industry and offer them the best opportunity to develop a career in agronomy through our Hutchinsons Foundation Training Programme. This is an exciting opportunity for the students to get a feel for the role of an agronomist. Like all things the more you put in the more you get out of it.”

PROFILE: Askham Bryan College (plot three)      

Team: Matthew Hart (team leader)

Daniel Webb

Sue Sutcliffe

Emma Chester

All of the team from Askham Bryan College in north Yorkshire are in their final year of a Foundation degree in agricultural land management. Matthew Hart is heading up the team and comes from a livestock farming family on Dovecote Farm in west Yorkshire. He says: “I entered the challenge for educational reasons, it’s nice to put things into practice rather than just learning the theory. It’s great to be working with Velcourt and Hutchinsons – they’re big players.” His fellow team members are Daniel Webb, from Doncaster, Sue Sutcliffe, who’s from Shipley, and Emma Chester, who owns a small flock of sheep in Dishforth, near Boroughbridge.

Mark Allan, first year degree countryside, demonstrated a natural flare for hedge laying.  Mark was given the opportunity to lay a small section of hedge under the close supervision of Allan Roberts.

The day was both enjoyable and perhaps more importantly, very educational.  Hedge laying is a skill under threat of extinction.  Yet a well laid hedge is aesthetically beautifully, an important habitat and a useful stock proof fence. 

The Agriculture department are continuing to work with the Hedgeman throughout the spring on a number of projects relating to fencing and hedging.  Students will have the opportunity to see a variety of hedging and fencing styles.   One group of students, as part of their Estate Skills Unit, will also have the opportunity to plan, cost and execute a fencing contract in association with Mr Roberts.  This real world exercise will be excellent experience for the students.

Mr Roberts will also be attending Askham Bryan College’s Lambing Sunday Event.  He will be demonstrating hedge laying and will give short presentations on hedge laying styles, including Yorkshire Hedging, of course.!

Congratulations to former student John Foley who was named the first 2012 BBC Young Gardener of the Year in what is a new competition. Rising to the top from 700 hopefuls, John's victory was broadcast on BBC 3 on Sunday 12th February. He was a student at Askham Bryan College between 2006 and 2007 where he studied a foundation degree in Landscape and Garden Management. He now runs his own nursery at Bolton by Bowland near Clitheroe.

The College's Chief Executive, Liz Philip said: "Many congratulations to John. This is a hugely prestigious national competition which he's won against the best in the country. We're very proud to say that he studied and was trained here at Askham Bryan and wish him all the best for the future."

His obvious deep knowledge of plants and first hand experience of running his own nursery gave him a distinct advantage over his competitors. John, who is aged 24,  was set several varied tasks relating to plant and soil recognition, landscape design and most importantly, in the final challenge, how in practical terms to use his knowledge and ability to produce a garden for the modern day busy family.

The judges were impressed with John's in-depth knowledge for someone of such a young age on such a variety of subjects, his overall knowledge being judged far superior to the other contestants who had backgrounds in Garden Design and Garden maintenance.

Holden Clough Nursery has nestled in the Forest of Bowland near Clitheroe in Lancashire since 1927. Johns father took over the nursery in 1978 and throughout Johns childhood he helped his dad potting and weeding, learning as he went a developing a love for growing plants. Having grown up with gardening in his blood John took a particular interest in Crocosmias building up collection of over 140 different varieties of this plant that has now become nationally recognised.

 Taking over his father's nursery in 2009 John, with girlfriend Kate, they have successfully progressed and improved the business winning numerous awards culminating in the nurseries first RHS Gold award at the Tatton Park Flower Show 2011. 2012 now sees John flying the flag for all young gardeners across the country as he takes on the mantle of the  first BBC Young Gardener of the Year.

Young Gardener of the year finals:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01c1vl2/Young_Talent_of_the_Year_2011_Young_Gardener_of_the_Year/

BBC Gardeners world feature 2011  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00jc3kt

Johns Nursery                     http://www.holdencloughnursery.com/default.aspx

Askham Bryan College is holding its annual Lambing Sunday on the 18th March. This will be a chance for visitors to see the first lambs of the season.

The Lambing Sunday event will take place at the College between 10am and 4pm and will give the public the opportunity to see newborn lambs and ewes up close.

As well as the ewes and lambs, the College will also be hosting a number of other activities son the day.

Pregnant women are advised not to attend this event. No dogs allowed except display and guide dogs.

Please click the flyer for more details

ABC Students excel at the BBC Young Gardeners Competition

Screen Date: 12th February 8pm BBC3

During the summer of 2011 The BBC Young talent competition focused its search on Gardeners aged between 16 and 25. 1000’s of young budding horticulturists answered the call and entered the National Competition. In the BBC’s own words they were

“giving someone other than singers, dancers and entertainers the chance to step into the limelight, they were looking for true ambassadors of their trade.”

It was a tough challenge and slowly they were narrowed down to 50, of which 3 current and past Askham Bryan students made the cut.

JOE LOFTHOUSE who is a current EDH Final student made it to the top 50 current EDH1 student JAMIE BUTTERWORTH and past FdSc Horticulture 2009/10 student JOHN FOLEY got slightly higher.

The Young gardener competition will be aired on BBC 3 within the next couple of weeks. Make sure you watch to see where our students came in the competition.

Watch this space to find out when exactly it will be aired.

Well done to all involved.

John Foley has set up his own nursery in Clitheroe Lancashire www.holdencloughnursery.co.uk

The land-based college, which also has a site at Newton Rigg near Penrith, was inspected in December and has been described as a “good and improving college” in the Ofsted report published this week.

The College's Chief Executive, Liz Philip, said: “These excellent results demonstrate the commitment and dedication of our staff to achieving the best possible experience and results for our learners and I am delighted that they have come in the year that we have expanded to incorporate Newton Rigg College.

“We plan to build on our successes and future plans will see continued improvement.”

The College provides courses for three times as many students as it did at its last inspection, thanks in part to taking over further education courses at Newton Rigg from the University of Cumbria in July this year, creating Newton Rigg College.

Ofsted found that the College’s overall success rate was high. Students aged 16 to 18 achieved well and above that in colleges with a similar intake. Pass rates on main qualifications were very high. The overall success rate for adult students improved on 2010/11 to above that in similar colleges but Ofsted felt that too many adults on advanced-level courses left college early.

Progression was good, with nearly 60 per cent of students progressing to a higher-level qualification, while around 20 per cent going into employment in an area directly related to their course.

The College was praised for its teaching and assessment and for offering a good range of main qualifications within its land-based specialism, with workplace skills, industry competencies and an understanding of the industry embedded throughout courses.

The report identified areas for the college to improve further, such as the retention of adult students on advance courses, embedding quality assurance processes and developing the curriculum further at the newly-acquired Newton Rigg campus, and better use of Information and Learning Technology and Virtual Learning Environment.

Around 30 guests were on hand to see a plaque unveiled and tributes paid to the many people who made donations to enable the project to come to fruition.

Originally built in 1948 as the college's farm dairy, complete with fully tiled walls, the library is now the Learning Resource Centre, housing everything from a suite of computers, DVDs and CDs to around 25,000 books covering everything from animal husbandry to strategic business management and economics.

Liz Philip, the College's Chief Executive, said: “The Learning Resource Centre is at the heart of the college both physically and educationally. Virtually every student uses it and there is always a real buzz of activity in here. It has come a long way from being a farm building to today's state-of-the-art resource centre. The generosity of our supporters has enabled us to ensure that the educational needs of our students are not only met but fully supported.”

Caption: Liz Philip, Chief Executive of Askham Bryan College, with the Lord Mayor of York, Coun David Horton.

The winner will receive a Silky Gomtaro 300mm pruning saw together with a year’s membership to the RFS. The award will be presented by the RFS’s Yorkshire Division and by Silky Fox Handsaws to the student the College judges to be ‘showing most endeavour’ in 2012.

RFS Education Officer Debbie Cotton explained: “The annual award is for students on Further Education courses that meet the practical skills criteria.

“It recognises the increasing value of Level 2 & 3 Diploma courses in Forestry and Arboriculture in delivering the essential skills to open doors into careers in both the private and public sector.

“As an education charity promoting the wise management of trees and woods, the RFS is delighted to recognise the excellent work of colleges up and down the country, and to give recognition to students who have gone the extra mile in their learning.”

For Askham Bryan, Lecturer in Arboriculture, David Butterfield said: “The practical skills in trees and timber industries are fundamental to employability, we take this very seriously and anything that supports this can only be a good thing for the tree managers of the future. We are very happy to be involved in the RFS Silky Fox Handsaws Award as it acknowledges the efforts and skills required by the student to enter into a challenging industry.”

David Davenport of Silky Fox Handsaws said: “The practical skills learned through these courses help ensure we have a skilled workforce to maintain and enhance the country’s trees and woodlands. The successful students form the backbone of the country’s tree experts in the future.

“Silky saws enjoy a worldwide reputation for quality, and we hope these will become treasured – and useful – reminders for the students of the valuable time that they spent in college.”

The RFS Yorkshire Division organises woodland visits and activities, and welcomes new members. For further information please contact Divisional Secretary Ben Scotting on 01765 609 355 or email ben@yorwoods.org.uk or visit www.rfs.org.uk .

Among the 60 International Students that visited the Lord Mayor at the Mansion House in December 2011 were two students from Askham Bryan College.

The Lord Mayor said: "International students and staff bring so much to our city and I’m delighted to be able to welcome them to York on behalf of residents. I hope they will enjoy their time in the city and come to think of York as a home from home during their time here."

* Top left: Chatting with the Sherriff of York and the Sherriff’s Lady

* Top right: Askham Bryan College Students meeting the Sherriff of York (far left), the Lord Mayor (middle) and the Sherriff’s Lady (far right).

Askham Bryan College in York will be amongst the first to launch The Royal Forestry Society (RFS) Silky Fox Handsaws Awards to recognise outstanding students on courses with a strong practical arboriculture or woodland management element.

The winner will receive a Silky Gomtaro 300mm pruning saw together with a year’s membership to the RFS.

RFS Education Officer Debbie Cotton explained: “The annual award is for students on Further Education courses that meet the practical skills criteria.

“It recognises the increasing value of Level 2 & 3 Diploma courses in Forestry and Arboriculture in delivering the essential skills to open doors into careers in both the private and public sector.

“As an education charity promoting the wise management of trees and woods, the RFS is delighted to recognise the excellent work of colleges up and down the country, and to give recognition to students who have gone the extra mile in their learning.”

For Askham Bryan, Lecturer in Arboriculture, David Butterfield said: “The practical skills in trees and timber industries are fundamental to employability, we take this very seriously and anything that supports this can only be a good thing for the tree managers of the future. We are very happy to be involved in the RFS Silky Fox Handsaws Award as it acknowledges the efforts and skills required by the student to enter into a challenging industry.”

David Davenport of Silky Fox Handsaws said: “The practical skills learned through these courses help ensure we have a skilled workforce to maintain and enhance the country’s trees and woodlands. The successful students form the backbone of the country’s tree experts in the future.

“Silky saws enjoy a worldwide reputation for quality, and we hope these will become treasured – and useful – reminders for the students of the valuable time that they spent in college.” 

ROYAL FORESTRY SOCIETY

Promoting wise management of trees and woods

Pictures from the Chinese delegation from Kaifeng, Henan, that visited the college (Friday 2 Dec). They show John Wray in full flow (his Mandarin has improved immeasurably since the last delegation), and John receiving a presentation of a Chinese poem which he appears to be translating into Cantonese for the leader of the group, Mr Chen Guangxi.

This delegation represented Kaifeng city, an area with a population of 3.5 million people, half of which are employed directly in agriculture. Their purpose was to tour the UK looking at how our own agricultural industry has developed, and how we teach agriculture and link this in with the farm.

Channel 5’s TV Gardener, David Domoney, has joined forces with The Prince’s Foundation for a second year to officially launch the 2012 ‘Ideal Young Gardeners of the Year’ competition ahead of the Ideal Home Show’s return to London’s Earls Court next March.

Following the success of last year’s inaugural competition, six UK colleges, including Askham Byran College, North Yorkshire, will once again go head-to-head to create inspirational and sustainable show gardens which will all be exhibited in the forecourt of Earls Court during the 104^th Ideal Home Show, which runs from March 16^th to April 1^st 2011. Last year’s debut gardens, each designed by emerging young talent in the industry, were visited by HRH The Prince of Wales at Earls Court, and Capel Manor College in Middlesex claimed 1^st place.

Liam Stafford, a student from Askham Bryan, said: “We don’t want to give anything away about the design of our garden yet!  The competition however, we hope, will bring us together as friends and as a team. None of us have ever done a show garden before, so it will be such good experience for us and will help us with our future career ambitions. It’s a real honour to represent both the college and our little corner of the UK and go up against all the other students.”

This year the participating colleges will be awarded gold, silver or bronze medals with two further prestigious titles also being awarded for Best At Show & The People’s Choice. This year’s colleges are:

• Askham Byran College, North Yorkshire
• Bridgwater College, Somerset
• Chichester College, Sussex
• Capel Manor, Middlesex
• Shuttleworth College, Bedfordshire
• Writtle College, Essex

Once again the competition will aim to highlight the very best examples of sustainable practice in British garden design amongst student designers. Each college will be given a 5.5m x 4m plot to both plan and design a unique and sustainable garden based on the theme of ‘landcraft techniques in an urban setting.’  A panel industry experts led by Domoney will judge the entries and award the prize medals.

The Prince’s Foundation has set clear guidelines for the competition based on organic and sustainable principles. In addition, each garden should inspire city dwellers, showing just what can be achieved in the most impossible of tight urban locations.

Hank Dittmar, Chief Executive of The Prince’s Foundation comments: “ The importance of green spaces both in urban living and sustainable lifestyle is often overlooked and we are pleased to once again be launching this competition, particularly ahead of the launch of our landscrafts programme later this year.   The Prince’s Foundation considers this to be a great start to the crafts programme – giving young people at the start of their careers an opportunity to learn about sustainable garden design and craftsmanship.”  

David Domoney, organiser of the competition says: “Last year over a quarter of a million people at the Ideal Home Show got to appreciate the show gardens designed by our young students and this kind of exposure, with support from The Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment, can prove a great fuel injection in those young people's career paths and help them stand out from the competition when they come to apply for work.”

Each college will be given 1 week to build and plant their garden outside Earls Court ready for the Ideal Home Show opening day on the 16^th March 2012.  During this time they will be monitored and supported by Domoney in preparation for the judging panel.

Each garden will then be judged at the show on the 16^thMarch, by the esteemed panel which includes not only Domoney but award winning garden designer Adam Hunt, who created the edible garden at HRH the Prince of Wales’s START festival at Clarence house in the summer 2010.

Every college that takes part will be in with the chance of winning a show medal with two individual prestigious awards, ‘Best at Show’ and ‘The People’s Choice’ also up for grabs. Over 275,000 people will view their creations over the course of the 2012 London show offering students fantastic exposure and a solid industry platform to build upon.

For more details on the 2012 ‘Ideal Young Gardeners Competition’ and the participating colleges visit  www.idealhomeshow.co.uk

The Ideal Home Show, London will open its doors for 17 days from 16^th March – 1^st April 2012, at London’s Earls Court.  Tickets can be booked online via www.idealhomeshow.co.uk

Whatever your dream, it could become a reality as Farmers Guardian is once again looking for the Agricultural Student of the Year 2011-2012.

The competition - the only one of its kind in the UK - is offering one student the chance to choose a seven, nine or 11 month work placement in the USA, Australia, New Zealand or Canada. The prize includes flights, insurance, visas and accommodation - the winner will be placed with a farming family.

The exclusive work placement, worth £3,000, is being provided by AgriVenture, the international organisation responsible for helping more than 30,000 young people embark on a trip of a lifetime.

The competition is open to all agricultural and horticultural students in the UK and Northern Ireland and aims to recognise young professionals ready to further themselves in their chosen career.

Whether you decide to pursue a completely different job or use the opportunity to further your career through a sandwich placement or post-graduation - the programme will be tailored to ensure you achieve maximum impact to help you achieve your future goals.

Visit http://www.farmersguardian.com/your-space/competitions/agricultural-student-of-the-year-%E2%80%93-2011-2012/42151.article for more details

Liz and Alastair, named after Principal Liz Philip and her husband, are settling in nicely with their exotic neighbours, which include marmosets, meerkats, skunks and racoons, and will be meeting the public for the first time this weekend at the College’s Christmas Fair which takes place from 11am to 5pm.

As well as a chance to see the animals and help with the feeding of some of them, visitors will be able to meet Father Christmas and browse at a variety of stalls. The Fair is raising funds for Nuzzlets, a Great Ouseburn-based charity which homes unwanted animals and provides free access to young people for therapy and education.

The new armadillos are both two years old and are described as “extremely friendly” by Instructor Technician Rob Wilson. He said: “We are very excited about their arrival and the Christmas Fair will be a rare opportunity for people to see them.”

The armadillos will be part of the College’s Animal Management department where students studying a range of animal-based courses will work with them to cover topics such as diet and behaviour.

The Open team rode exceptionally well and were beaten by the Addington National Schools 2011 Champions Sheffield High and Norton College. Gemma Hawley (level 3 extended diploma) rode her own very attractive and lively DHI Winston. The rest of the team was made up of first year students on the level 3 equine programme, Alice Hopkins riding her own Norwood Angel and Sophie Platt riding her own Highfield Grace lead the way with the good lines to hold onto 3rd place. Well done to Georgia Harness that had to quickly get to know Askham Bryan's amazing horse Freddie, only having ridden the bold jumping Freddie once before in a lesson.

It was a very long day with Colleges and Schools from as far as Durham and Sheffield, with the last competitor competitng at 6pm. The teams will have learn't alot from the experience and I can't wait for 2012 when Team Askham Bryan is out again in force competing for the College. Picture shown of Jessica Moules riding Askham Bryan College's Kierran.

On Saturday 26^th November Askham Bryan Level 3  Animal Management students baked some delicious goodies to raise money for the Pets at Home pet rehoming charity. They set up stalls in Pets at Home on Clifton Moor and sold over £50 worth of cakes and chocolates for the worthy charity- add did a little publicity for the college too!

18 agricultural engineering staff and Level 3 students are recovering from an epic tour of Europe, covering a huge 1000km, 3 countries and 6 major European cities in just 5 days. The tour started on Monday the 14^th November where they set sail for Rotterdam, arriving there the whistle stop tour began. During the tour the team visited the John Deere Horst Factory in Holland before travelling on to Hildesheim in Germany where we stayed and visited Agritechnica the largest  Machinery Show, the tour continued on to the Claas Combine and forage Harvester Factory in Harsewinkel before the final destination Amsterdam. Although fun was had by all on the tour it was also an important experience for our budding engineers and agriculture students which gave them invaluable insight into the world of agricultural engineering in the rest of Europe.

In the Prelim section, Emma-Jane Hills (second year extended dipoma in equine management) won the section on Askham Bryan College's own super star horse Freddie on a precentage of 77%. With Gemma Hawley on her own Winston riding a personal best to finish in 4th place. Another Askham Bryan college horse Noah produced a correct and sparkling test accurately ridden by (first year level 3 equine student) Natasha Pedley to finish 7th.

Over the last few years the Tansy Beetle Action Group (TBAG) has been working to increase beetle numbers on the Ouse and approached the College  to see if a Tansy Ark could be created away from the river as a safeguard against the possibly devastating effects on beetle populations of summer floods.

Dr Deirdre Rooney of Askham Bryan College explained: “We are delighted to be involved and have created a plot on campus of Tansy plants which is the beetle's sole food source.  The plan is to introduce beetles to our Ark next spring. The beetles are currently being captive-bred elsewhere but we are discussing the possibility of starting a breeding unit within our Animal Management Centre before too long.

She added: “Not only is this a great opportunity to be part of a major conservation programme, but it also means our students are able to get hands-on experience working on the project and incorporate a real life situation within their studies.” Several Countryside Management degree students and Level 3 Environmental and Land Based Studies students are involved in the project.

Tansy plants in the field suffer from livestock grazing, the spread of Himalayan Balsam and shading by willows. The TBAG is drawn from North Yorkshire County Council, the City of York Council, the Environment Agency and the University of York. The Group has secured funding from the SITA Trust over a three year period to undertake a number of conservation measures.

Debs got the Young Achiever of the Year, Andy got the Breakthrough Award. They both now go on to the national competition.

As part of the ‘Award in Stewarding at Spectator Events’ a group of Extended Diploma in Equine Management level 3 students recently visited York Race course.

The Operations Manager Tony Lee gave the students a tour of the course and discussed the roles and responsibilities’ of stewards and security staff on both race days and at concerts. This gave them a true insight into the logistics and infrastructure of organising such events and the students asked some interesting questions. The tour finished in the weighing room with some of the students getting on the scales.

Tony Lee was kind enough to then visit the college to speak to the students about crowd control and emergency situations and procedures.

Alongside  Askham Bryan  College representatives from the Hawk and Owl Trust, The Merlin Conservation Group, North York Moors National Park  and Natural England attended the workshop.

The morning and early afternoon sessions focused on best practice informed by rigorous scientific understanding of habitats and the ecology of species within those habitats and the legal framework surrounding the control of a range of predator species.  In addition a range of predator control equipment was both reviewed and demonstrated including the latest developments in fox snare design and the DOC trap from New Zealand.  Both these products were presented as best practice tools for the humane control of targeted predator species.

The afternoon was taken up, in the field,  with an informative demonstration on how to deploy a number of predator control tools.  The afternoon covered not only the technical side of trap deployment but also considered a more holistic view including location choice for traps and an understanding of animal behaviour and ecology.  The Larsen trap, for catching crows, was noted as an important tool in the arsenal of any conservation organisation protecting birds and bird eggs, particularly ground nesting waders.  The workshop considered latest developments in trap design and trap management.

The new knowledge gained from the workshop will be immediately built into the teaching material presently delivered within both our countryside and gamekeeping courses.  In addition we have passed on relevant material to our farm staff which will further help us develop strategies for wildlife conservation on the college farm, significantly the further protection of ground nesting birds such as the lapwing.   These conservation initiatives we will in turn be able to use as examples of best practice for our students within the agriculture and land based sector. 

Competitors prepare to make the opening split in the first Yorkshire Ploughing Match in association with Askham Bryan College

Winners on the day were

Classic 1 Stuart burden 2 David Greenwood 3 Richard Wilson

Trailer 1 Henry Taylor 2 Michael Watkins 3 D Walden

Vintage Hydraulic 1 Ian Berriman 2 Ron Craven 3 Ray Thompson

Ferguson 1 Ken Smith 2 John Kitchen 3 G Midgley

High cut 1 Nick Potter 2 R Ingham 3 Richard Sixsmith

 In the photo is Dr Deidre Rooney of Askham Bryan College, Adam and Steve Willis, farmer and Chair of the Food and Farming Forum.  The calf is a Red & White Holstein heifer. The photographer was Nigel Whitfield of Nigel Whitfield Photography.

Gold was taken by the Swiss, Silver to GB ahead of Italy, Norway, Germany, Austria, France, Japan, Austrialia, Netherlands, Canada, Estonia, Finland, China and Spain.

 Huge congratulations to Rachel Waterhouse who was named Lecturer of Year in the 2011 Golden Apples Education and Learning Awards.

Rachel joined Newton Rigg in 1999 as a technician-instructor in the Animal Management Section, and went on to become a lecturer a year later. Passionate about her work and committed to ensuring her students' achieve their best, Rachel thoroughly deserves her Award.

In addition, Mike Wilson  was nominated for the Lifetime Achievement Award for services to Agricultural Education.

Liz Philip said: “This is great news and very encouraging to see dedication and hard work publicly recognised.  Congratulations to both Rachel and Mike.”

CN Group Education and Learning Awards 2011: Winners revealed

The annual awards are organised by Cumbrian Newspapers.

Photo kindly supplied by Cumbrian Newspapers.

The walk will start at 13.00, and finish at around 15.30.

Please be here before 13.00 to register with us.

The walk will take about 2 ½ hours. We advise owners to keep their dogs on a lead and also to bring plenty of poo bags.

(We are trying to organise catering/refreshment arrangements and will let you know about this soon)

Any other suggestions are welcome.

For more information about getting involved, please email:

nowzad.askham@aol.com

We also have a charity page – www.justgiving.com/nowzad-askham  

Sunday the 3^rd October was an exciting day for the Askham Bryan College further education riding team, as first year and level 3 rider, Sophie Platt, came 7^th in the BE100 section of the Bishop Burton Horse Trials.
Sophie a memebr of Badsworth Pony Club is currently studying a Level 3 Diploma in Equine at the College and completes for Askham Bryan College's National Schools Eventing Team with her own horse. The team goal is to qualify for the Championships in March 2012 at Stonar School.

A HUGE well done to Sophie and Fiona Harrison for an excellent result at only the 2^nd ever competition for the team! 

Photo shows Claire with her horse  Flash getting ready for next Sunday's event

Equine enthusiast Claire Watson is keeping her fingers crossed that the weather will hold for next weekend, as she has her sights set firmly on a championship rosette at a national horse trials event. And student, Nicolle Murray is also hard at work getting ready for the challenge to take the honours in her section.

Claire is an equine technician at Newton Rigg College and Nicolle is in the second year of her studies for a national diploma in equine studies. They have entered the Askham Bryan Horse Trials which will be held next Sunday (9 October). The Trials have attracted entries from across the country and are organised in conjunction with British Eventing, the national governing body for the sport. The venue is Askham Bryan College near York which recently took over the running of Newton Rigg.

Event organiser, Philip Grant, who is also Deputy Principal at Newton Rigg said: “We held our inaugural event last year and it was really well received. We had many many compliments regarding the high standard of the day and competitors particularly enjoyed the cross country course which did ask a lot of questions with some big bold fences.”

Claire, whose home is at Brampton near Carlisle,  is competing in one of the new classes with Flash, a 9 year old Irish Sports Horse.  She said: “I'm really looking forward to it. It's my second season with Flash and I'm keeping my fingers crossed the weather holds and we do well.”  The chestnut gelding is owned by Mrs Anne Barlow of Bradwell Manor, Cheshire.

 And for Nicolle, who's from Penrith, it's the opportunity to shine with  17 year old “BJ”, a former racehorse.

The trials take place in stunning park land and include dressage, show jumping, and a testing and exciting cross-country course across 40 fences. There are a complexity of fences including a unique water splash which is crossed twice, ditches and hedges, all creating a traditional course.  One of the key aims is to encourage young horses and riders and also those wishing to finish the season “on a high.”

The event is sponsored by Armstrong Massey Land-Rover.

On Saturday 24th September at Northallerton Equestrian Centre was our first competition as part of the National Schools Eventing Challenge for Stonar Schools in March 2012. Both first year level 3 riders Sophie Platt and Georgia Harness performed two solid dressage tests and jumped clear around the show jumping and cross country courses within the time. Scoring was tight at the top 5 places, for Sophie to just miss winning by 0.4 and settle for 2nd place and Georgia to an excellent finish 4th.

A fantastic achievement for our first outing, next outing Eventing is Bishop Burton College on Sunday 2nd October. The top 8 people from our Northern league qualify for the championships next year with Northallerton and Bishop Burton being the only qualifiers.

The Ecology Field Course run for the National Science Learning Centre that was held last Friday on the Askham Bryan Campus.

The Field Course represents Askham Bryans continuing involvement with the National Science Learning Centre.  Over the next academic year a number of additional courses are planned.

Friday’s Ecology Field Course was targeted at school science technicians and focused on highlighting not only the possibilities for ecological fieldwork but also emphasised that resourcing such field work did not have to be resource heavy. 

The course involves extend learning beyond the classroom.  An area of educational endeavour that has always been part and parcel of land based education.

The irrigation is being installed as part of work by sportsturf and horticulture students studying at Askham Bryan College near York. With the help of agriculture and engineering students, they have created three golf holes in a disused field at the College.

With the course being built at little cost, one of the key challenges was to find an irrigation system and course tutor Dan Prest approached supplier Evergreen Irrigation to ask if the company would supply a 100m pipe to get the project going. Evergreen put Dan in touch with Rain Bird which has supplied a state-of-the-art system.

There was one more problem for the students to solve: the irrigation system is controlled by an electronic control system but there was no electricity to the field where the holes have been located. The answer came from CI Solar in California which is converting the power-source to solar power to allow the students to complete the project.

Dan said: “We owe a great deal of gratitude to these companies for helping our students not only to complete these holes but also to use the latest technology to achieve it. Our idea was to give the students the experience of creating a course from scratch, rather than looking only at the maintenance, and this has been a fantastic learning experience.

Around 70 students, who are studying for future careers as greenkeepers and groundsmen, have been involved in the project to date.

Photo shows Wes Johnson, the new Principal at the College

A passion for the countryside and teaching are the hallmarks of the new Principal of Newton Rigg College.

Wes Johnson has been announced as  Newton Rigg's first Principal under the new ownership of  Askham Bryan College.  In July, the York-based college took over Newton Rigg from the University of Cumbria, announcing a £2.4m investment plan to restore it to its former position as a leading centre for further and higher education.

Mr Johnson is currently Acting Principal of Craven College, Skipton and takes over  his new role in January 2012.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Johnson said: “I’m very much looking forward to stepping into what will be very large shoes. I’m passionate about the countryside and keen to see Newton Rigg achieving its potential, and more.”

“ If ever a county or a region deserved to be a centre of educational excellence it is Cumbria and the North West. There is such a strong heritage here for rural and agricultural studies in particular which we will re-establish.”

These will be complemented by a  wide range of  degree and diploma subjects -  from health studies and child care to sports and public services, and from engineering to equine which are already well underway. Newton Rigg is also running courses under the Skills for Working Life programme, equipping those with few or no formal qualifications who want to boost their knowledge.

Mr Johnson added: “My particular aim is to enthuse and equip the leaders and workforce of tomorrow. There is a tremendous feeling of goodwill towards Newton Rigg and I intend to build on that, working with the local community, potential employers, local schools and organisations.  Being part of the Askham Bryan family means we can re-establish the Newton Rigg identity whilst benefiting from the good practice and experience in York.”

As well as the campus at Penrith, the College has a total of 1,068 acres across two farms. The plan is that over the coming months, these will be re-stocked and re-equipped  to form a practical resource for students. In addition a rural research unit will be established in conjunction with the University of Cumbria.

 0730 on Saturday 17^th saw the Motor Sport Engineering Team assemble for their first competition at Harewood Hill Climb, with two cars competing in the college Astra being driven by Dave, and Steve in his Europa, the Van Diemen was not entered as Jason’s paperwork had not arrived in time, which in hindsight was probably a good thing!  The journey to Harewood was uneventful aside from a slight, intermittent misfire on the Europa.

After signing on, the rains came and this was to set the scene for the morning racing, brief intervals of moderate rain followed by torrential downpours.

In what seemed no time at all scrutineering was over and we were suited, gloved, and helmeted, and heading for the start line. At this point I would point out that this was something we had never done before and were anxious not to have an embracing “Off” and not really knowing what to expect or do.

The run itself is pretty much a blur, major traction issues at the start followed by various degrees of fright as the bends were arrived at, some too slowly, and some much too fast, with heavy braking, little finesse and lots of sideways drifting. Arriving back in the paddock Dave and I took stock, we agreed that it was very slippery and overall an enjoyable if at times scary experience, I noticed that Dave’s hands shook as he lit his roll up, mine were in deep my pockets to stop it showing, a walk to the organisers office revealed our times of 91secs for Dave and 93 for me, not to bad for a first effort on an unknown skating rink.

Coffee and tactics, sage words from Pete (The locksmith) Cahill, a Harewood and college regular, who told us that it was always going to be a nightmare for new entrants on a day like this, “It is a technical course that needs learning properly to do well in dry conditions, never mind these soggy ones. Just go out and enjoy it, take your time and try to learn the bends and braking points”.

We did, our times were slower but it felt more controlled, except when I crossed the finishing line sideways in a particularly skilfully controlled, (well that’s my story), slide fishtailing to a halt on the grass. Dave had visited the green bits at the sides of the track as well smoking the grass and weeds under the spinning front wheels of the Astra as he coaxed it up the hill through the water. Arriving back in the paddock we agreed that we had enjoyed it much more than the first run, even having had time to think about the tightness of the bends. The bad news was that the Europas misfire was much worse, regularly dropping onto 3 cylinders, a quick look revealed nothing obvious and it was time for our first proper timed run. Off we went again, after a particularly intense shower, Dave having set himself the goal of beating 90 seconds.

Back once again, we were both slower still and the Europa was on 3 pots all the time, and lunch saw an hour of feverish old school fault finding by the team which suggested that the problem lay with a faulty coil pack, I had no spare so that was it for me, “That’s racing” as they say!

 Much talk and spying (By us) around the paddock was on tyres that worked well in the wet, Avon ZZR’s were the strong favourite much admired for their steaming stickiness, until both front runners using them in class 2B went off one after the other so who knows?

After lunch we watched Dave go from strength to strength, as the afternoon progressed, the rain abated, and the sun came out, drying the track, and as it did, he got faster and faster, his 90second target was passed, and so was 80, and then on his 4^th and last run he made an impressive 78.20 second, and 11^th place not bad at all in a bog standard Astra well done Dave.

 Did we all have a good day? YOU BET WE DID!

 The students had some good hands on real life motor sport experience and proper “In the field” fault finding.

 Dave and I have driven the track and everything came home in one piece!

The college got noticed in a big way, with the Public, Marshals, Officials and other Competitors commenting on how good it was to see a college and sponsor out competing on what was a shocking day, weather wise.

Special thanks go to the BARC, the Marshals, Pete Cahill, Jane Tupper, and Alistair Philip, other competitors who offered words of support and advice, and our wife’s and partners for their tolerance of we petrol heads.

 Quote of the day “What tyres are you on Pete”? “C*** ones” this after his third sideways crossing of the finishing line!

 What next? We may have a go at the “Run what you Brung” at York raceway early next month then it’s the winter preparation time with maybe the odd navigational rally to keep things interesting!

The North of England Potato Day was a huge success. Held on our land at Askham Bryan College York there was a series of in-the-field interactive workshops and trials in addition to topical seminar sessions, covering a range of key areas.

Growers were offered a valuable insight into retail and consumer trends and how they might affect the new marketing season. Keynote speaker Dr David Hughes, Emeritus Professor at the University of Kent Business School and Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, presented an overview of market trends and influences, outlining the challenges that lie ahead.

The in-the-field workshops focused on costs savings and quality. Students from the College attended the seminars and had the chance to speak to industry experts.

At Askham Bryan we are quickly becoming a very highly regarded institute for providing specialist land based education to students from over seas. International marketing has only been undertaken over the last few years but in 2010/2011 our international population made up around 5% of our students.

We have recently introduced a range of courses that have been designed specifically for the overseas student market.

Read about our international population in more detail here in the Education Travel Magazine September 2011 Edition.

Land-based colleges in the UK

Askham Bryan College Motor Sport Engineering

Lecturers Jason Brierley Steve Shersby & Dave Tuohy gear up for the New Year with the college hill climb and sprint cars. The first outing is at Harewood on 17th September. You can follow their progress here on the Askham Bryan website.

 http://www.motorscope.co.uk/  http://www.noswizard.co.uk/ http://www.harewoodhill.com/

 http://www.kawasaki-powerproducts.eu/  http://www.ilkleymotorclub.org.uk/

 http://www.yorkmotorclub.co.uk/

Askham Bryan College won the Connor Challenge Cup for Champion Lamb Carcase at the Driffield Agricultural Show last week. The cuts from the award winning lamb were sold locally. Meat from Askham Bryan College and is available to buy on Lambing Day and at the Countryside Show Open Day held annually at Askham Bryan. Specialist Wagyu Beef produced by the College is also available to buy from the supermarket Asda. The Lambs are reared at the College by the students under the supervision of Shepherd Dan Clarkson and Farm Manager Mike Patch. Dan and Mike are both thrilled to have won the cup and said ‘its great for the students to have something extra to show for all their hard work’.

Scarborough Sixth Form College  (S6F) is to be the new base for students with a passion for working with animals and who are wanting to study for a career or employment in the sector. The courses are aimed at a wide  range of  careers  - from zoo keeper, to cattery manager, animal welfare officer to kennel maid, and cater for all abilities, ages and educational backgrounds.

Announcing the initiative, Tom Potter, College Principal said: “We are very pleased to welcome Askham Bryan onto the Scarborough Sixth Form College site to deliver animal management courses. This is something we have been discussing for some years as there are good educational reasons behind the partnership; students from both colleges will gain from this arrangement. We are looking forward to a long and beneficial relationship.”

The animal management and care courses are being run by York-based Askham Bryan College in partnership with S6F. Askham Bryan attracts students from across North Yorkshire and beyond and was recently awarded “outstanding” status by Ofsted for its student welfare.

A new purpose built animal management centre will be the base for students on the courses which begin in September. These range from Level 1, ie with those with no formal qualifications, through to Level 3 - students who already have A' levels or equivalent qualifications.

Links with Flamingo Land already exist, so students will have the chance to work behind the scenes with everything from giraffes to pythons. And at Askham Bryan's York based campus, there are further opportunities to “get hands on” - whether it's feeding the meerkats or mucking out the Kune Kune pigs. An additional benefit is that whilst studying, students can apply for a travel allowance.

For more information or to apply please visit www.askham-bryan.ac.uk or call 01904 772211 for more details.

ENDS

15 August 2011

The University of Cumbria and Askham Bryan College have finalised the transfer of further education courses at the university's Newton Rigg campus. 

The new 'Newton Rigg College' (which is how it will now be known) will see investment plans by the York-based college to the tune of £2.4m focusing on the farm, revitalisation of degree and diploma courses particularly in agriculture and countryside management and the establishment of a joint rural research institute.  Both the university and the college have been working together over the last few months to ensure a smooth transition for both staff and students.

Pro Vice Chancellor Professor Liz Beaty said:

"This partnership with Askham Bryan College will not only ensure a sustainable future for further education in the area but also provide us with an opportunity to plan significant investments in new facilities for our higher education provision.  We will maintain access to our long term teaching and research sites at Newton Rigg and look to grow our current strong focus in forestry, conservation and land-use research.

"FE courses continue to generate strong interest from potential students.  The traditional land-based subjects on offer there remain extremely popular and we have some incredibly dedicated and well qualified people who continue to respond to the needs of young people in the area.  Both the university and Askham Bryan College are committed to ensuring the continuation of these courses to the benefit of current and future students, the local community and the region as a whole."

The University of Cumbria, in partnership with the college, will be keeping its degree programmes on the site.  This will continue for the next three years and any subsequent changes will be phased in over time.  All of the university's undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the areas of forestry, conservation, policing, applied science and outdoor studies will continue as these courses have national significance for the university, are highly valued for their research and are seen as having a long term future within the institution.

 Liz Philip, Askham Bryan Principal adds:

"I am delighted that Askham Bryan College has now assumed ownership of Newton Rigg College.  We have been successfully providing education for the farmers and landowners of tomorrow from our York campus for more than six decades and we are committed to ensuring Newton Rigg becomes a centre of agricultural excellence and has a bright future. We are planning significant investment into the site and promise to provide the Cumbrian community with a first class agricultural college. My vision is that together Askham Bryan and Newton Rigg will be a dynamic and innovative force driving agricultural excellence in the north of England.”

Reflecting its courses at York, Askham Bryan plans to run degree and diploma courses for full and part time students ranging across pure agriculture, sustainable land management through to  environmental technology and also equine. In addition there will be courses for apprentices and a rural research institute will be established, run in conjunction with the university. It is also anticipated that there will be a range of general courses, for example child care and sport.

BOARD SETS PLANS IN MOTION FOR NEWTON RIGG  COLLEGE

The Board of the new Newton Rigg College which has taken over further education courses from the University of Cumbria has met for the first time.

The transfer of the further education courses was finalised on Friday (29 July).

The new Newton Rigg College will see investment plans of £2.4m, focusing on the farm at Sewborwens, revitalisation of degree and diploma courses, particularly in agriculture and countryside management, and the establishment of a joint rural research institute.

The new Board met at Sewborwens on Wednesday to progress plans by setting up advisory groups on a range of issues, including hill farming and forestry. A  Farm Advisory Group, focusing on dairy, has already been established.

Board chairman Alan Bowe said: “This is an important step forward in beginning to reconnect Newton Rigg to Cumbrian agriculture.”

Members of the Newton Rigg College Board are:

• Chairman - Alan Bowe: Alan was a student at Newton Rigg in 1961 and is Chairman of the H&H Group in Carlisle.
• Ian Youdan: Ian is the Chairman of the Askham Bryan College Board. Early in his career, he worked for Edwin Thompson in Keswick as a Land Agent – being replaced by Alan Bowe when he left to work in Lincolnshire. He is former Senior Partner of Brown and Co and a British Horse Racing Authority steward.
• Andrew Humphries: Andrew is a member of both Askham Bryan and Newton Rigg Boards and is former Chair of the Cumbria Upland Management Group and Vice President of ACT (Action With Communities in Cumbria).
• David Black: David is also a member of both Boards and is Managing Director of Paragon Veterinary Group. He is Chair of the Dairy Science Forum.
• Ian Brown: Also a member of both Boards, Ian is Farming Partner of Dodd and Co accountants in Carlisle and represents around 600 farming clients.
• Prof Andy Cobb: Prof Cobb is the former Dean of the School of Agriculture at Harper Adams University College and a Board member of the European Accreditation Agency for Life Sciences.
• Steven Oliver-Watts: Steven is a former full-time Ofsted inspector and currently works for the Prison Service providing training. He was formerly Head of Horticulture at Newton Rigg.
• Liz Philip: Liz is the Principal of Askham Bryan College.

New Animal Management Provision in Scarborough

Askham Bryan College is really pleased to launch a new course, Level 1 Diploma in animal management and its exciting move to Scarborough Sixth Form College.

The College is developing its provision and will be able to offer practical experiences/learning in a new purpose built building. This will house a range of mammals and exotic species from chinchilla’s to creepy crawlies!

Students can now study animal management at level 1, 2 or 3 depending on their existing qualifications and experience. This means that more people can participate in ‘hands on’ programmes whilst also gaining formal qualifications. The mix of theory and practical subjects help learners to gain formal qualification in a hands on and vocational way.

Askham Bryan has a link with Flamingoland, a well known Zoo in Yorkshire with an amazing reputation. This provides a wealth of opportunities working behind the scenes with a wide range of species from giraffes to pythons, whilst gaining from the expertise of both zoo and education staff. Activities within the zoo, work experience opportunities and guest lectures seriously enhance the animal experience and long term benefits to the students.

As part of practical developments students also experience hands on work with a range of animals at the York Campus – this might be feeding the Meerkats, health checking the Iguana’s or mucking out the Kune Kune pigs.

Facilities at York include:

• Veterinary Nurse Training Facility
• Multiple Paddock Areas
• Bird Garden
• Exotic House
• Exotic Mammal Room
• Rodent Room
• Aquatics Avenue
• Amphibians
• Access to on-site Farm and Equine Facilities

The teaching team at Scarborough are dedicated to the student experience. Each staff member offers experience from a practical perspective and suitable qualifications to ensure that learners are well prepared for a range of career pathways.

Whilst studying students can also benefit from:

• Free travel (subject to terms and conditions)
• Free additional courses to make sure you have all the skills industry needs (some learners above the age of 19yrs may need to pay a small fee) Free use of protective equipment for practical’s
• Free NUS card with a wide range of discounts at different stores
• Free Askham Bryan College T-shirt
• Free file to store your college work
• Teaching at Flamingo Land to ensure you have access to the very best resources
• A designated course manager to work with you in completing your course
• A designated support tutor to help you overcome any problems you have that may affect your studies

To gain further information or to apply please contact:

General questions enquiries@askham-bryan.ac.uk

Specific questions: clare.murphy@askham-bryan.ac.uk

Telephone: 01904 772277

The University of Cumbria and Askham Bryan College have now reached final agreement for the transfer of further education courses at the Newton Rigg campus from 31 July 2011.

Discussions have been very productive and now provide an opportunity to move forward to the next stage of the transfer process. Plans by the York based college include a £2.4m investment into the site focussing on the farm,  revitalisation of degree and diploma courses particularly in agriculture and countryside management and the establishment of a joint rural research institute.

Vice Chancellor Professor Graham Upton said:

"Courses at the Newton Rigg campus continue to generate strong interest from potential students.  The traditional land-based subjects on offer there remain extremely popular and we have some incredibly dedicated and well qualified people who continue to respond to the needs of young people in the area and these will be run by Askham Bryan College.  Both the university and Askham Bryan College are committed to ensuring the continuation of these courses to the benefit of current and future students, the local community and the region as a whole.   

We will continue in partnership with the college keeping our degree programmes on the site.  This will continue for the next three years and any subsequent changes will be phased in over time.  All of the university's undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the areas of forestry, conservation, policing, applied science and outdoor studies will continue as these courses have national significance for us, are highly valued for their research and are seen as having a long term future within the institution."

Liz Philip, Askham Bryan Principal adds:

"We have been successfully providing education for the farmers and landowners of tomorrow from our York campus for more than six decades and are very much looking forward to ensuring that Newton Rigg becomes a centre of agricultural excellence. Rumours that we planned to asset strip the site are totally wrong - on the contrary we plan a £2.4m investment into the site and particularly the farm, which we will re-stock with dairy cattle and upgrade with new facilities. Our commitment to providing the Cumbrian community with a first class agricultural college is total. My vision is that together Askham Bryan and Newton Rigg will be a dynamic and innovative force driving agricultural excellence in the north of England.”

Reflecting its courses at York, Askham Bryan plans to run degree and diploma courses for full and part time students ranging across pure agriculture, sustainable land management through to  environmental technology and also equine. In addition there will be courses for apprentices and a rural research institute will be established, run in conjunction with the university. It is also anticipated that there will be a range of general courses, for example child care and sport. The name “Newton Rigg College” will remain unchanged.

Ensuring a smooth transition for staff and students is of paramount importance to both the university and Askham Bryan College.  Transition team arrangements to ensure that the processes are well managed will be put in place as we move into the next stage of the process. The university will now start contractual negotiations with Askham Bryan College with a view to arranging TUPE transfer of staff on 31 July 2011.

Staff and students at Askham Bryan College are celebrating after an Ofsted inspection just released described its student welfare provision as “outstanding” - the highest accolade possible.

The report notes a number of positive comments from students about the college including: “it's mint” … a “great college” and “makes us and others feel welcome.”

Inspectors visited the York based college in January and the report focuses on the welfare of residential students under 18. They made their judgement against a total of 47 standards, examining a wide range of criteria, including students' social and health care, the standard of accommodation, disciplinary and complaints procedures and student safety.

One of the country’s foremost land-based colleges, Askham Bryan College provides education and training at all levels from introductory courses for school leavers  up to honours degrees. Its main residential campus is at York and the College also operates centres in  Guisborough, Bedale, Harrogate, Scarborough, Thirsk and Wakefield.   It has around 750 full time students with more than 200  who are residential.

Liz Philip, Principal said: “In the previous report, four years ago, we were classified as “good” which is the second highest quality rating so we are delighted to now be marked as “outstanding”. The inspectors have singled out a number of areas for praise but I was particularly delighted to read the comment that we are “very student centred” as that is very much the ethos at Askham Bryan.  We are committed to ensuring our students have the most positive experience possible and their welfare is a crucial part of that. This report is a tribute to the dedication of all our staff.”

The report says students' health is given a high priority and that they are well supported by a number of staff, including the dedicated pastoral team. There are very good arrangements to ensure they receive individual support and staff are said to have an “excellent understanding” of students' individual needs. Inspectors comment that there are a number of staff from whom they can gain support. Staff work hard to level the playing field for disadvantaged students and “go the extra mile”, says the report which also notes that the College has a new student enrichment worker to help provide student activities. There is a strong senior management team who are supported by a governing body to drive improvements, say the inspectors.

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu made his first official visit to Askham Bryan College on Tuesday 22 March, and awarded full marks to the Principal and staff.

Dr Sentamu and the Bishop of Selby were shown around the campus by Liz Philip, the Principal, meeting and chatting to students and staff across all the departments. Watching a riding lesson in progress, seeing newly born lambs and milking take place were just some of the activities underway.

In addition, the visitors toured the animal management centre, the engineering and horiticulture departments and called in at Wharfedale House which is home to students with learning  difficulties. The afternoon concluded with a visit to the National Beef Training Centre within the College farm. This is home to a new research project with Wagyu cattle which is renowned for producing the world's most expensive beef.
Dr Sentamu said: “I think the College is impressive in every way - that it takes in students with learning difficulties, those doing degrees and those not doing degrees, and they are all learning together. It is keeping to the task and doing a fantastic job. And it seemed to me to be a very very happy environment. So full marks to the Principal and the staff.”

“It was a super afternoon, the weather couldn't have been kinder and  we were delighted to have the opportunity to highlight how we train and prepare the leaders and workforce of tomorrow, particularly in relation to the countryside and rural life,” said Mrs Philips.

Fundraising for McMillan Nurses

Students on the Level 2 Animal Care diploma raised £37.73 in aid of MacMillan Nurses.

MacMillan Cancer Support improves the lives of people affected by cancer. They provide practical, medical and financial support and push for better cancer care.

Anne McIntosh MP visits Thirsk

During her regular visit to Thirsk Auction Mart to meet with farmers, Anne McIntosh, MP for Thirsk and Malton took time out and dropped in on Advanced Apprenticeship agriculture students for a chat.