The weather was spectacular creating a garden party atmosphere as residents and students worked together to plant flowers and seeds donated by Newton Rigg College. “Residents have a full and varied activity programme here and it is always a delight to get younger members of the community involved with sessions.” Said Debra Dawson activities co-ordinator at the home.

Donald Langdale, resident gave plenty of helpful tips on planting and Meg Taylor also a resident gave the students a valuable insight into the affects that a stroke has had on her life.

Everyone benefited from the afternoon and students are hoping to return to see the plants in full bloom.

The event is being organised by Newton Rigg College in conjunction with agricultural machinery specialists, Carrs Billington and takes place on Wednesday 16 May at the College's farm.

Chris Holmes, CEO of Carrs said he was delighted to be working with the College. “I hope Grassland North will not only be an opportunity for farmers and contractors to see the latest silage related machinery and technology, but that it will also help place Newton Rigg College back in the heart of Cumbrian agriculture where it belongs.”

Wes Johnson, Principal commented: “We are delighted to be staging Grassland North in conjunction with Carrs Billington, who are virtually our neighbours!  They share many of the same goals as ourselves – being proud of our agricultural roots, taking an active part in the local community, and most importantly, being part of the farming industry of Cumbria. I see our College as a hub for rural business, whether it's staging events such as Grassland North, conferences, or seminars. I am sure Grassland North will be a huge success.”

Demonstrations include bale wrapping by Kuhn and BPI, a presentation of GPS technology for precision farming from Soils Essentials  and a demonstration by Hi-Spec Engineering with their latest slurry tanker mounted trailing shoe and dribble bar applicator. And the latest BvL software system ‘Dairy Feeder’, to ensure accurate feed rationing.

Many of the major tractor manufacturers will also be present including:

Massey Ferguson, with their 5400/6400/8600 models and the 7600 winner of the Tractor of the Year design award at Agritechnica. This will be the first grassland working demo of this tractor in the North this year.The majority of the tractors will be working on the Krone & Kuhn machines with a few static displays.There will also be working Massey Ferguson loaders.

Kuhn – supplying a full line of grass, cultivation and livestock machinery with a demonstration of the new SW4004 bale wrapper also shown for the first time in the North. Fendt – models on display and working include the 240hp, 724 tractor.  Krone –  - the first working demo in the North of the 700hp BiG X forager and the 420hp BiG M self propelled mower.There will also be working mowers, tedders, rakes, forage wagons, round balers and the BiG pack large square baler.

Free Seminars

In addition there will be free seminars held during the day at the college's Sewborwens Farm. Seminar 1 – Duncan Rose, Senior Nutritionist for Carrs Billington Agriculture will speak on the lessons learned from balancing “difficult” silages for today's high production dairy cows. Duncan is one of the country's leading nutritionists on cattle feed rations.

Seminar 2 – Matthew Everett, Commercial Director of Carrs Fertilisers Ltd - “Fertilisers – more than N, P and K”. Matthew will speak about other nutritional requirements for grassland, and has a lifetime's experience in the industry.

Seminar 3 – David Long, Grassland Product Manager for Barenbrug. David will give a presentation regarding getting the best grasses for the best silage, and choosing the right varieties to suit the farm.

A history of silage making through the decades will also feature, to stir up the memories! Amongst the pieces of equipment on show will be a Silorator which was first shown at a similar event at Newton Rigg back in 1954. Loaned by Penrith farmer, Jamie Fisher, it will be pulled by a Fordson Major with an original silage trailer which cost the princely sum of £105 back in the early 50s. There will also be a 60 year old Kidd Double Chop forager, lent by Colin Harrington of Penrith and it also hope to have an early Grey Fergie tractor with a middle mounted mower and buckrake.

There is no fixed admission charge to the event, but all attendees will be encouraged to make a donation which will go towards funding student scholarships. 

Grassland North is a landmark event as it is the first of its kind to have been held by the College in recent history. Askham Bryan College, which has its main campus at York,  took over the running of the Newton Rigg in August last year with a promise to revitalise its agricultural roots and re-connect it with the farming community, pledging a £1.9m investment.

Wes Johnson, College Principal said: “Grassland North is a major milestone, both for us and for the farming community in the North of England and beyond. It is a practical example of our commitment to becoming a centre of agricultural excellence and re-connecting  with our agricultural roots Our aim is that it will become firmly established on the farming calendar as a showcase for innovation, practical application and expertise, benefiting both the region's farming community and our students.”

Courtesy of Carrs Billington, around 50 plus suppliers are expected with both working and static demonstrations. They will showcase everything from Krone and Kuhn grassland equipment, Massey Ferguson and Fendt tractors, to a full range of mowers, self propelled foragers and muck spreaders, through to stands with work boots, lawn and ground care equipment and grass seed suppliers.   

Dale Shaw, Machinery Manager for Carrs Billington said: “We've been delighted with the interest, with many of our customers across the North of England and beyond planning to attend. There will be a big range of kit both on display and working, including  tractors and foragers totalling around 6,000 horse power working in the two fields. And we've just had confirmation that a new brand of silage preservative will be shown, which will be a first for Cumbria.”

A history of silage making through the decades will also feature, to stir up the memories! Amongst the pieces of equipment on show will be a Silorator which was first shown at a similar event at Newton Rigg back in 1954. Loaned by Penrith farmer, Jamie Fisher, it will be pulled by a Fordson Major with an original silage trailer which cost the princely sum of £105 back in the early 50s. There will also be a 60 year old Kidd Double Chop forager, lent by Colin Harrington of Penrith and it also hope to have an early Grey Fergie tractor with a middle mounted mower and buckrake.

There is no fixed admission charge to the event, but all attendees will be encouraged to make a donation which will go towards funding student scholarships.

Philip Grant, Deputy Principal explained: “The College is very much a resource for the community, and that's a year round commitment. So although for many of our students, the lectures and activities draw to a close in July, the campus then takes on a whole new life with the fresh faces who attend our summer schools.

“The programme of subjects covered is extensive - from a taster day on health and social care -  ideal for anyone thinking of a career in nursing or the health professions -  through to a five day course on tractor mechanics, the ATV handling course which runs over two days, animal care, equine skills, and sports.

“There are lots to choose from covering the rural sector, so if you're perhaps thinking of working in countryside management, being a vet nurse or gaining some additional qualifications, it couldn't be more ideal as you can get a taste for what's involved,” said Mr Grant.  “From there it then makes it easier to decide where to target your career aspirations, whether it's towards further qualifications, an apprenticeship or simply to be better at the job you're already doing.”

The courses are very practically based, many are aimed at developing team working, and several result in recognised industry qualifications. For a full range of the summer schools available call 01768 893400, email enquiries@newtonrigg.ac.uk  Please note that although the courses are free, registration is needed in advance.

The Second class of the day, Prelim 15 Sponsored by Slacks Equestrian Supplies and again judged by Naomi Garbutt, saw the highest number of entries with 26 competitors divided between the affiliated and unaffiliated sections of this class. In the Affiliated section Rebeka Lawson, from Cockermouth, started her day by claiming the top two places with Kris Messenger’s KJ’s Exclusive and her own Surfin Murph respectively. In the Unaffiliated section Liz Butterworth, from Bolton, claimed the top two placings with Skyline Ranger and Brewster, closely followed by the winning combination from the previous class, Robyn Gray riding Whatcanyasay with Nicolle Murray, who is a student second year National Diploma student at Newton Rigg College, just 2 marks behind in 4^th place riding her young horse Vorecky Silver.

Class 3 signalled the start of the bad weather, with the wind increasing and the showers beginning to move in, despite this the competition was hotting up and the top 4 in the affiliated section were separated by only a handful of marks, this time riding the Prelim 19 test which was kindly sponsored by A W Jenkinsons and judged by Nancy Rowson. This class was an affiliated Qualifying class and saw Rebeka Lawson carry on her fantastic run of form winning the class with her second placed ride from the previous class, Surfin Murph, in 2^nd place were Alison Armer attending her first competition here at Newton Rigg, riding the 7 year old mare Hallykeld Nicely Spiced, claiming 3^rd were Tracey Venter and the striking Fresian Vela, closely followed by the winner of the previous class, Rebeka Lawson and KJ’s Exclusive in 4^th. The Unaffiliated section saw a new name at the top of the prize winners with Lucy Langley from Stainton riding her own Red October taking the top spot meaning the winner of the class before, Liz Butterworth, had to settle for 2nd place with Skyline Ranger, and 3^rd place with Brewster, Tina Crowley took a good 4^th place with Lugardis.

With the heavens now well and truly pouring, and the occasional hail shower thrown in for good measure the Novice 35 was definitely a challenge, sponsored by Northern Pet & Equestrian Supplies, Amy Dixon pulled a great test out of the bag in front of judge Jenny McDonnell to take 1^st place and claim the show rug in the affiliated section, with Alison Armer claiming her second runners up plaque and rosette of the day. The Unaffiliated section saw a win for a delighted Kate Bartle with her “horse of a lifetime” Bilbo Buggins, Kate won this section by an impressive 13 marks, with Lucy Langley again riding Red October this time in 2^nd place, Hayley Graham riding Blackhill Prince were beaten into 3^rd by just 1 mark and a rather damp but still smiling Tina Crowley came in 4^th.

By class 5, the Novice 38 test, sponsored by the Cumberland & Westmorland Herald and judged by Jenny McDonnell, everyone was well and truly soaked and the weather was at its worst, Amy Dixon, who seemed to revel in these conditions with an even higher score than her winning mark in the previous test again took top spot, an impressive run of results as Amy and her horse Maid in Holland have been competing at affiliated level for only a matter of months. A delighted Penny Williamson from Laithes took the 1^st prize in the Unaffilated section with Suey Browne, a regular competitor here at Newton Rigg riding her own Josie into 2^nd. Denise Richardson, riding her young horse Harry, coped very well with the conditions and were just 4 marks back in 3^rd position and Helen Karry riding the veteran Blitz taking the rosette for 4^th place.

The final class of the day saw the weather change again with even a welcome, if a little brief, appearance of the sun. Riding the Elementary 53 test infront of Jenny McDonnell, kindly sponsored by Paragon Veterinary Group, Denise Richardson and the handsome stallion Maximillian Maali recorded the second highest percentage of the day with 69.7% and won the affiliated section. Penny Wiliamson riding her winner of the Novice 38 class again won the unaffiliated section much to her delight and amazement with Suey Browne and Josie claiming their second runners up prize and Helen Kerry this time going one place better to claim 3^rd place.                 

We would like to say a huge thank you to our competitors, sponsors, judges and helpers for a successful day despite the weather. The next dressage competition will be held on Sunday 27^th May, we also have Olympic medallist Jeanette Brakewell here for a jumping clinic on Tuesday 19^th June, and we will be introducing British Showjumping Club Shows into our competition schedule very soon, dates to be announced within the next 2 weeks, keep up to date with all of our lessons and competitions at www.newtonriggequinecentre.org       

Around 50 plus suppliers are expected. They will showcase everything from Krone and Kuhn grassland equipment, Massey Ferguson and Fendt tractors, to a full range of mowers, self propelled foragers and muck spreaders, through to stands with work boots, lawn and ground care equipment and grass seed suppliers.   

Dale Shaw, Machinery Manager for Carrs Billington said: “We've been delighted with the interest, with many of our customers across the North of England and beyond planning to attend. There will be a big range of kit both on display and working, including  tractors and foragers totalling around 6,000 horse power working in the two fields. And we've just had confirmation that a new brand of silage preservative will be shown, which will be a first for Cumbria.”

A history of silage making through the decades will also feature, looking back to the 1960s when the first silage demonstrations were held on site.

There is no fixed admission charge, but all attendees will be encouraged to make a donation which will go towards funding student scholarships. For further information please contact Ian Powley or Dale Shaw at Carrs Billington on 01900 824105

Photo shows: Newton Rigg Game and Countryside Management course leader and lecturer, Sam Riley, fourth left, explaining the workings of a heat lamp for the game bird rearing pens shelter to Level 2 Countryside and Environment students, left to right, Johnny Graham, Mike Fullerton, Ed Thompson, Nathan Hardy and Callum Alexander.

Countryside and Game Management students and staff at Newton Rigg College are hard at work as the date gets closer to the arrival of around 2,000 day old partridge and pheasant chicks in mid May.  Preparations are well underway, with Level 2 and 2^nd year Level 3 students busy building pens and runs on the rearing field.

Once the chicks have arrived, a carefully managed rearing programme gets underway so they reach a size and age when they can be slowly acclimatised to their surroundings and then gradually released into the countryside. Course lecturer, Malcolm Riding explained: “We need the chicks reasonably early so that the students have more time to work with them before they leave for the summer break. The chicks are kept warm using canopy heaters and propane gas until around 3 – 4 weeks old. They also require clean drinking water, ad lib food and constant monitoring.”

“ Alongside this we run trials for Marsden Game Feeds researching the performance of various protein types and levels in chick diets. Importantly we follow the Code of Good Shooting Practice so these well-grown birds are released a long time before the first shoot day allowing them to become acclimatised to the wild. This is an important part of what we do so we're all kept pretty busy,” added Mr Riding.

£21,182 - £24,990 pa

Fixed Term Contract until 31 March 2015

Threlkeld near Keswick

We are looking for a supervisor to manage our new apprentice team. You will work with the team, mainly within the Lake District, to deliver practical countryside management.

This is an exciting opportunity to participate in and prepare practical work for the Lake District National Park Authority and its apprentice scheme partners – National Trust, Environment Agency, Forestry Commission and United Utilities. A key aspect of the role will be to support and develop apprentices and their skills for the future while carrying out a range of practical work.

We would like to hear from you if you have experience of managing people and apprentices. If you are able to work closely with other organisations, have practical experience of estate work such as walling, fencing, installing gates and stiles, woodland and archaeological work, and dealing with drainage and erosion problems.

You will be aware of Health and Safety procedures and safe working practices. You will be familiar with learning techniques and courses in further education. Good communication skills and the ability to work as a team member are essential.

For an informal discussion about the position please contact Chris Tomlin, Park Management Leader North or Angus Titterington, Lead Field Ranger North on 01768 79633.

For further details and an application form, visit our web site at www.lakedistrict.gov.uk, email us at hq@lakedistrict.gov.uk or write to Human Resources, Lake District National Park Authority, Murley Moss, Oxenholme Road, Kendal LA9 7RL

We are unable to accept CVs

Closing date for applications is midday 27 April 2012

Interviews will be held week commencing 14 May 2012

Announcing the sale, Principal, Wes Johnson said: “We're very focused on taking the College forward,not least in our ambitious plans to build a new dairy unit so it makes sense to have a spring clean. It will be a great day, and the revenue generated will go into buying new equipment to benefit the studies of our agricultural students.”

Auctioneers, Harrison and Hetherington of Carlisle are handling the sale. Viewing is open from 930am with the sale beginning at 1.30pm.

For further information please contact Andrew Templeton, Senior Auctioneer with H and H, on 0777 880 8464

 Modern Group Photo: Re-launching the Newton Rigg Society, photo shows back left to right, Ken Jordan of Whitehaven, and John Rigg, Penrith; front, left to right, Mrs Marjorie Wilcox, Penrith, Mrs Mary Jordan, Whitehaven, and Mrs Cathy Nattrass, Meaburn, with a copy of a certificate awarded to former student Annie Steele in 1937 (the late Mrs Annie Todd, of Little Salkeld, Penrith). Mrs Wilcox, Mrs Jordan and Mrs Nattrass were students at Newton Rigg College in 1947.

Old Photo: Photo found in the Newton Rigg archives shows members of the Newton Rigg Farm School 1896/7

The hunt is on to reunite former students and friends of Newton Rigg College, as a former lecturer seeks to relaunch the Newton Rigg Society.

John Rigg, who was both a student and a lecturer at the Penrith-based College, is planning to revitalise the Society and is asking for anyone with a connection or who has an interest in agriculture in the region to get in touch.

He recently met up with three former women students who, in 1947, all attended a summer dairy course on butter and cheesemaking.

John, who now lives in Penrith explained: “The Newton Rigg Society was set up in the mid 1920s, originally as the Newton Rigg Agricultural Society, and at one time had around 700 members. The Society flourished when full time courses were introduced  for men and women in 1949.  Functions were held through the year with farm walks, demonstrations, conferences and a wide range of social events. Travel bursaries were also offered enabling students to expand their knowledge. I also discovered that in 1915 there was a fund to support students going on to university education and am trying to track down more information on this. 

The Society changed in 1950 to include not just students but those across the region with an interest in rural life. Sadly it was wound up in the early 1990s, with records and photographs being lost. I am very hopeful that we can re-establish i, and the Ctollege has very kindly offered to provide secretarial support in helping to set up the “new” Newton Rigg Society.

Mr Rigg was a student at the college between 1952 and 1953 and lectured there between 1957 and 1963. He plans to contact as many former students as possible with the hope of creating a data base of contacts and also gather together old documents and photographs relating to the original Society.

 “I have been very encouraged to receive the enthusiastic support of Liz Philip, Chief Executive of Askham Bryan College and Newton Rigg College, and indeed Wes Johnson, Principal and his team. “

 Anyone wishing to get in touch should contact Gwendy Byas at Newton Rigg College on alumni@newtonrigg.ac.uk or phone number 01768 893400.

A great day for everyone!

Forget the Oscars. Forget the BAFTAs. Farmers Weekly is launching a new competition to seek out film buffs and wannabe moo-vie makers in the British countryside – and there's a great cash prize on offer.

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.

To give you some inspiration, two volunteers from the FW team (it's fair to say they're "enthusiastic" rather than talented when it comes to acting) have given a rural slant to one of the most famous scenes from the blockbuster Gladiator. We swapped an epic Roman Colosseum with, erm, the equally epic Ashford livestock market. Our version is called Cultivator!

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 College has held unaffiliated competitions for many years but has reintroduced affiliated this year. February’s event attracted around 40 entries for four classes and affiliated events are now being held every month, with a Dressage Festival planned for April.

Affiliating to British Dressage means that horses gain points which allow them to move up through the levels of competition, as well as potentially qualifying for national competitions. Affiliated classes are held only at approved centres and are judged by accredited British Dressage judges.

Newton Rigg Equine Management Technician Sam Ingram said: “There are few affiliated centres in the North West and we wanted to provide the opportunity, both for our students and for other riders in the region, to take part in affiliated classes. We have been running Prelim and Novice classes since January but will be extending the breadth of classes from Intro A to Elementary at our Dressage Festival in April.”

Newton Rigg is holding one affiliated and one unaffiliated competition every month, with the next affiliated on Sunday 25 March. The Dressage Festival takes place on Sunday 29 April.

The results of the competition on Sunday 26 February were:

Prelim 7 (Judge Naomi Garbutt)

1, Millfield Suntan (Heather Turner); 2, Surfing Murf (Rebeka Lawson); 3, KJ’s Exclusive (Rebeka Lawson).

Prelim 14 (Winter Qualifier) (Naomi Garbutt)

1, Surfing Murphy (Rebeka Lawson); 2, KJ’s Exclusive (Rebeka Lawson); 3, Millfield Suntan (Heather Turner).

Novice 30 (Jenny Johnston)

Open: 1, HFS Loani (Ruth Turner); 2, Amadeus Wolf (Pamela Parker).

Restricted: 1, Banaher (Joanne Rome); 2, My Lady Foxtrot (Alison Farary).

Novice 34 (Winter Qualifier) (Jenny Johnston)

Open: 1, Claudia (Emma Williams); 2, HFS Loani (Ruth Turner); 3, Amadeus Wolf (Pamela Parker).

Restricted: 1, My Lady Foxtrot (Alison Farary); 2, Banaher (Joanne Rome).

Image- Rebeka Lawson riding Kris Messengers pony KJ’s exclusive

The Newton Rigg College invites you to do your Sainsbury's Sport Relief Mile on their Newton Rigg Campus. Take in the beautiful scenic grounds and then kick back and enjoy all of the wonderful entertainment on offer. Make sure you book your place at The Newton Rigg Mile today!

For more information and to book your place please visit: http://my.sportrelief.com/search/event/result?id=793

‘We try to ensure that we use different judges from around the region as much as possible as riders appreciate having a fresh opinion of how they and their horse are progressing,’ said Claire. ‘Naomi Garbutt travelled from County Durham to judge the preliminary classes and Gaynor Booth came from Newby East to judge the novice and elementary.’  

Claire was delighted to see Newton Rigg student Nicolle Murray take first place in prelim 1 riding Apollo.  In second place was Sue Tyson from Keswick with Indian Mirage, third went to Emily Arter and Be Touchable and fourth went to Deb Gate from Cockermouth with Lily of the Valley.  The junior section was taken by local rider Lucy Hogg with Skyline Ranger. Their impressive score of 81.05% was the highest of the day.

The novice class was won by Tina Crowley form Cockermouth with Lugardis who beat Clare Chappelhow and Crackenthorpe Talento into second place. Clare was also second in the elementary, but this time Suey Browne and Josie took the honours with a good win. Third place went to Jo Wiseman and Crackenthorpe Phantasy and fourth to Helen Kerry and Blitz.

The next competition at Newton Rigg will be on Sunday 26^th February and this will be  affiliated to British Dressage. The next unaffiliated dressage competition will be held on Sunday 11^th March.

Apprenticeship Schemes

Apprentice Field Workers – two positions

Ambleside or Threlkeld

Approved apprentice wage, minimum of £120 per week

Full-time, fixed term contract for 18 months

This is a rare opportunity to participate in practical work in the National Park. We are looking to provide an opportunity for two Apprentice Field Workers to work in our Park Management Team, to include day release to college as required.

A key aspect of the role will be to support and carry out work to maintain and improve our public rights of way network, carry out the practical elements of installing gates and stiles, woodland management and dealing with erosion problems within the National Park.

If you have practical experience or an interest in learning estate work, particularly walling, fencing and footpath repair, then we would like to hear from you. Good communication skills and the ability to work as a team member are essential.

Applicants will have the opportunity to train on the job and obtain a Level 2 Diploma in work based environmental conservation whilst being paid a wage.

For an informal discussion about this post please contact Dave Bulman, Lead Field Ranger South on 07715165283or Angus Titterington, Lead Field Ranger North on 07740 419198.

We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applicants from all sectors of society. If you are an applicant with disabilities who meets the essential requirements of the job, we will interview you.

For further details and an application form, visit our web site at www.lakedistrict.gov.uk, email us at hq@lakedistrict.gov.uk or write to Human Resources, Lake District National Park Authority, Murley Moss, Oxenholme Road, KendalLA9 7RL

We are unable to accept CVs.

Closing date for applications is midday Friday 10 February 2012.

There will be a two stage selection process, with an assessment held during the week commencing 20 February 2012, and interviews held during the week commencing 27 February 2012.

The land-based college 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 come so soon after the creation of Newton Rigg College.

“Future plans will see continued improvements, both in the fabric of facilities and in the development of the curriculum.”

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.

Learners at Newton Rigg identified the res-establishment of a dairy herd at the college as a positive move and the report acknowledged the redesign of the curriculum there to include apprenticeships in game-keeping and butchery and the development of industry-specific courses such as the herdsman certificate.

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 Newton Rigg campus, and better use of Information and Learning Technology and Virtual Learning Environment.

The students were divided into 2 teams of 9 with one team doing the beating whilst the other waited for pheasants and partridge to be driven over them. The teams then swapped roles. Richard Gargett, Sam Riley and Adam Jay supervised the standing guns whilst Malcolm Riding organised the beating teams. The day was very, very windy meaning the birds flew very fast and high, tricky shooting for even the most experienced guns. Total bag for the day was 22 head although 211 shots were fired to achieve this. Not a good average but then the birds were exceptionally difficult. Although good shots were made by several students, it is worth mentioning Sam Cole and Connor Thody  who pulled off spectacular shots on Ashcroft and Arboretum drives. Richard, Sam, Adam and Malcolm would like to congratulate all the students on their exceptional observance of safety, well done.

Images below (attached) are of some of the students having their pheasant stew for lunch and the end of day Team Photo.”

After the amazing news from the Football Association, Paul Lowery from the Rugby Football League has confirmed Newton Rigg's place in the Carnegie National Champion Colleges Cup for 2012. The Cumbrian & North stage is coming up in February and we will compete against other well-established colleges from the region. This tournament is male only.

In addition, the Rugby League 9s tournament (postponed from December) is to be played in February and requires a male & female team to compete!

Training starts today, being run by the Rugby Football League at Newton Rigg College, with male & female students welcome. Students will be coached, learn how to coach, gain an officiating award, a leadership award and will run a Cumbrian rugby event later in 2012 here at NRC.

Despite the hundreds of colleges being rejected in their application to join the FA Futsal National Championships 2012 competition, Newton Rigg College has been successful in applying! This is an outstanding achievement for the college and I would like to thank the staff and the students for their hard work in ensuring our successful application.

Details are yet to be confirmed for the venue & date, but Newton Rigg needs many more U18 male students to compete.

Futsal is a fast-paced version of football, with a slightly heavier ball.

Training is in the sports hall at 3pm on Tuesdays.

Male students needed to be 16 or 17 on 31^st August 2011. It’s ok if they have turned 18 since. Female students are still welcome at training.

When Askham Bryan College took over last August, it was with the promise to put agriculture back into the heart of Newton Rigg. With the investment of £1.9m into revitalising the farms already underway, new land based courses announced, and now our first technical event, no one can doubt that we meant what we said.

Agriculture is at the heart of what we do. It influences virtually all our activities as we strive to educate young people to be the best they can be, and to be an asset to the industry. Increasingly agriculture needs those who are bright, focused and with qualifications which enable them to roll their sleeves up and hit the ground running. Here at Newton Rigg we want our students to be at the top of the employment list, an asset to any business or organisation.

A key part of achieving this is to listen to what our local community wants, and also to work in partnership with the region's businesses and organisations. Talking to local farmers about our planned dairy unit has been hugely beneficial, as has meeting forestry experts for the re-launch of our new courses. And we are delighted to be staging Grassland North in conjunction with Carrs Billington, who are virtually our neighbours!  They share many of the same goals as ourselves – being proud of our agricultural roots, taking an active part in the local community, and most importantly, being part of the farming industry of Cumbria.

I see our College as a hub for rural business, whether it's staging events such as Grassland North, conferences, or seminars. We are running a whole host of rurally based summer schools – everything from tractor driving to chainsaw handling – which means our campus will literally buzzing all the way through summer and beyond. And again, it means that rather than having to travel miles and miles, skills can be learnt on the doorstep, plus from September, Cumbrian students on full time courses will have free transport to our campus.

An important element of Grassland North is that it will benefit our landbased students of tomorrow. The event has  no entry fee, but we are asking everyone who attends to make a donation. All money raised will go directly to funding bursaries and scholarship opportunities to help fund our young people's studies.

I can't recommend Grassland North more highly to you. Courtesy of Carrs Billington,  you will find a vast array of the very latest equipment, with lots of working demonstrations, including some which are making their debut in the North of England. Ian Powley and Dale Shaw of Carrs Billington are to be congratulated on the hard work they have put in to making this a success. 

Wes Johnson

Principal, Newton Rigg College

The six final year agriculture and ecology students, along with lecturer Dr Jaime Martin (correct), spent a day at Newton Rigg where they saw the bio boiler in action, heard from the Associate Dean for Science of the University of Cumbria, Professor David Robson, and met representatives of the River Eden Demonstration Test Catchments (Eden DTC) project as well as having a tour of the college farms including the willow and forestry areas. The students are studying on the 'BSc in Agriculture’ and ‘BSc in Rural Resource Management’ courses.

Commissioned in May 2010, the boiler provides hot water and space heating for eight student accommodation blocks housing 127 students, all in en-suite units. Not only does it significantly reduce the college’s carbon emissions but it also saves tens of thousands of pounds in electricity bills. The students also heard about potential energy “buy back” schemes which could be used to cover the costs of both installations and raw materials.

Estates Manager Geoff Metcalfe said: “The Myerscough students were very keen to learn about something that is working so well for us here. We talked about the potential to extend the boiler to provide heat for our sports hall and other buildings. We also hope to reduce our carbon footprint still further in the future.”

Dr Martin explained: “Our final year students are currently looking at sustainable land management and in particular alternatives to the traditional sources of energy. They've already seen an anaerobic digester in action and a wind farm, so we contacted Newton Rigg as we knew they had a bio mass boiler in operation. It was very useful to see it in action and then assess its efficiency, overall costs in comparison with say gas and oil, and then consider the use of farm land generally in light of the need to feed the world's population.”

Bio mass boilers are becoming a  popular way of producing energy on farms, both terms of  cash savings and generators, and in reducing dependence on increasingly expensive sources of conventional energy. Newton Rigg’s boiler is fuelled with around 350 tonnes of locally-sourced wood annually.

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.

For more information please visit http://www.farmersguardian.com/your-space/competitions/agricultural-student-of-the-year-%E2%80%93-2011-2012/42151.article

The trial was carried out using the Roundhouse at Sewborwens farm on the Newton Rigg campus in Penrith, by Dr Jim Clapp from Newcastle University, and supports the observation of the farmers who use a Roundhouse. Geoff Simpson, of manufacturer Roundhouse Building Solutions Ltd, initially believed that a round shaped building would be less stressful for cattle because they have herding instincts and would see their fellow herd mates more in a round building than in a conventional one.  It is also known that cattle like to be handled through a circular handling system because when they are put through it they think they will end up where they have come from, and thus find it reassuring. Until this pilot trial commenced, however, there was only the evidence of higher growth rates to indicate the building was less stressful to the animals, plus anecdotal comments from farmers.

Dr Clapp’s study aimed to identify “welfare indicators” by assessing non-invasive stress monitors, which would form a platform for further trials to determine the degree to which Roundhouse housed animals were stressed compared to conventionally housed ones. The stress monitors studied include:

• Saliva tests (saliva contains the stress hormone cortisol, also testosterone and progesterone which relate to aggression);
• Heart rate monitoring;
• The incidence of “disease”, such as the number of coughs over a ten minute interval;
• The incidences of social interactions, such as the number of aggressive or passive acts the cattle show towards each other during a set period of time;
• A ‘novel object approach test’ (in the case of the trial a beach ball), where the time it took for five animals to approach within one metre of it was analysed. The more fearful and so stressed the animals are, the longer it takes them to approach the object.

The trial showed that saliva could be used to determine stress levels, so long as certain proviso’s linked to the age of the animals - such as sexual maturity - were taken into account. Heart rates were also a good indicator of stress.

It also concluded that bulls from conventional houses (the control animals) had “significantly” higher heart rates than the Roundhouse bulls when put through a crush, and were also slower to approach the beach ball, suggesting “that the control bulls were more fearful and pessimistic and so chronically stressed”. However the limited number of observations means that more trials and data sets are now required to enable more robust conclusions to be drawn, says Mr Simpson. Dr Clapp and Roundhouse Building Solutions are now hoping to move the trial forward on a further six Roundhouses, and are considering using more sophisticated equipment such as wireless heart monitors that are used to measure fitness and stress in race horses.

“We designed the Roundhouse because we thought it would suit cattle from an environmental, and welfare point of view which would result in less stress and thus faster growth rates,” says Geoff Simpson. 

“The farmers who use them have witnessed extremely good growth rates among growing and finishing cattle, which would indicate the building does work as we intended. This trial was designed to determine how we could shed further light on how the cattle feel in the building to enable us to improve performance even more. We are delighted in the results so far, and look forward to taking the trials forward.” 

The afternoon included an informal service led by the Canon Missioner of Carlisle Cathedral, Canon Michael Manley. The theme was ‘love’. The service was fun, thoughtful and, at times, emotional. It concluded with an impromptu question time, with Bishop James being asked very interesting questions, including, how did he become a bishop and how do you make stained glass windows?

Photo shows International Dog Groomer, Sarah Hawkes

A touch of Harrods' glamour is coming to Newton Rigg College as world experts show how to provide a canine makeover and share the tricks of the trade

World experts Colin Taylor and Sarah Hawkes are going to be demonstrating the skills of dog grooming  in a “Grooming Made Easy” event with the college's Animal Management Department on Monday 24 October. Both have judged and competed all over the world. It's the first time such an event has been staged at the Cumbrian college.

Lecturer Stacey Waugh who is organising the event along with Christies Direct, explained: “Christies are the best in terms of products and grooming, and Colin and Sarah are world class experts, so we're absolutely thrilled they will be with us. It's aimed at anyone who is working in the industry and of course our students can attend. It will be an absolutely super day.”

Christies provide grooming products for the prestigious Harrods Pet Spa, and their range covers everything from scented shampoos to bows to clothing for handlers. 

During the day four dogs will be “models” for Colin and Sarah who will demonstrate a variety of skills, from “scissoring” to hand stripping and shampooing, and also share hints and tips with their audience.

The College has some 100 students in the Animal Management Department studying on a range of courses. Animals include chipmunks, chinchillas, snakes, fish, rodents and exotic birds. The introductory dog grooming course is run as a three hour evening class on Thursdays for 20 weeks.

Stacey's involvement with Newton Rigg began when she was a student but then, after gaining her qualifications in animal care and teaching, she returned as a lecturer. “My work involves all the animals in the department but have always loved dogs. I'm quite arty so  love being creative, for example making 3D shapes on dogs. And it isn't just poodles who have makeovers, Great Danes, Old English Sheepdogs down to Chihuahuas – it's important to their health as well as their appearance.”

For more information on the event or courses, contact Stacey on 01768 893619.

Stacey's Top Tips for Dog Grooming

·Familiarise your dog with grooming procedures from the start, this will help build the social bonds between you, and will also ensure that your dog will accept and tolerate grooming a lot more in the future.

·Use a rubber marigold glove to remove loose hairs from a short coated dog

·Wipe the insides of the ear leathers with a simple baby wipe to reduce waxy build-ups that can cause a number of problems.

·If possible,  walk your dog on pavements regularly to avoid overgrown claws, invest in a metal nail file and file your dog’s claws regularly to avoid them from overgrowing.

·Between baths use dog wipes (available from most pet shops) to deodorise and freshen up the coat

·Brush your dog's teeth frequently using a poultry flavoured toothpaste, this will reduce build up of tartar

·Bathe your dog using baby shampoo; this will be mild enough to use on a dog's coat

·A shedding tool such as the furminator will be ideal to remove undercoat from double-coated breeds of dog, it is a fantastic investment to avoid excess hair on furniture.

·Pluck hairs from wool coated breeds by putting a little chalk onto your fingers first, this will ensure you get a better grip. Removal of the hair will keep ears fresh and reduce wax building up.

·Wipe eye discharge when needed with eye wipes or simple cotton wool and warm water to avoid any build up of discharge, remove excess hair from eye area using small blunt tipped scissors.

To achieve this students established a new hatchery room and monitored the incubators on a daily basis, as well as carrying out candling and egg weighing, to check the embryonic development within the eggs.  

Having also set up an indoor rearing shed the students will now rear the birds from day old to eight weeks when they will be sexually mature and ready for sale to final customers.  During this time the students will learn how to feed, bed, water and maintain the health and welfare of the birds. 

This out of season rearing practical will enable the students to gain practical game rearing skills at a time when traditional gamebird eggs and chicks are not available. This allows the students to gain valuable rearing experience, before rearing 1000 red legged partridge after Easter, to stock the driven shoot on Newton Rigg Farms. 

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.

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.

Photo shows students after the College's first shoot of the academic year

The freshers were involved as beaters in the event which was run by the second years  and resulted in an impressive bag of 42 partridge and a magpie.

The popular course is run by lecturer, Malcolm Riding of the Northern School of Game & Wildlife who said: “This must be the only shoot in the country where the guns are not the most important element – it's the students, particularly the second years, who organised the day. They did terrifically well as it's a huge responsibility making sure the day goes smoothly and ensure everyone is in the right place at the right time. Of course safety is a top priority for everyone involved.”

He added: “There were eight drives in total. The conditions were far from perfect as it was a wet day and, with some corn still standing, we weren't able to use a significant amount of our land. The second years were very much in charge, welcoming the guests, organising the drives in terms of both the beaters and the guns, and generally making sure all went smoothly and safely, which it did. It was a good day -  the students learnt a lot and the guns – made up of staff and friends – had a good time too.”

The course is widely regarded as the best in North of England and in the top two in the country, thus students come from across England and also Scotland, with the majority studying for the extended diploma in Countryside and Game Management. “Their career choices from the course are quite varied,” said Mr Riding. “Some will go into upland or lowland gamekeeping or deer management, some go into countryside management whilst others go on to higher education and use this as a good basis for a career in estate management.”

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.

Newton Rigg College attended the annual Mutts’ Funday at Wetheral Animal Refuge.

We enlisted the help of two willing level 2 animal care students Paul Smith and Courtney Bruce who got to show off their dog grooming talents whilst also handing out lots of bags of Newton Rigg goodies.

Gretna Football Club supremo Brooks Mileson opened the dog show and although we had a rainy start the day was a huge success.

Photo shows:

A Newton Rigg student has won a scholarship towards her studies for an Extended Diploma in Animal Management at the Cumbria-based college. The scholarship follows a summer placement which saw her working with wild animals in South Africa.

Brodie Taylor, 17, who comes from Oxenholme, near Kendal, completed the Subsidiary Diploma in Animal Management at the College last year.

The scholarship  is one of 11 new scholarships at the College and covers tuition fees, residential accommodation and a £200 cash allowance. The award means that she has been able to move on to the next level of the course and can live in. Said Brodie: “It means I can carry on with my course so that I can eventually work with exotic animals and not having to travel every day is helping me to really concentrate on my studies.”

Further education courses at Newton Rigg were recently taken over from the University of Cumbria by Askham Bryan College, the Yorkshire land-based college, which is investing £2.4m to revitalise the college farms and upgrade the site generally.

Brodie needed to undertake 300 hours of work experience as part of her course and volunteered to work at the Khulua Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in South Africa through an organisation called African Conservation Experience.

During her month-long visit in the summer she worked with a range of animals, including lion cubs, bushbabies, monkeys, ostriches and owls. She cared for a baby rhinoceros called Luna whose mother had been killed by an elephant. Luna was just a month old and very ill, needing constant attention and being very stressed by her contact with humans. Brodie was among the team who checked her every 15 minutes, tried to feed her and who took turns with two-hour shifts throughout the night to make sure she stayed warm. Within two week, Luna was up and running around outside.

Brodie was taught how to use a dart gun and was able to see two rehabilitated animals released back into the wild. She said: “It was extremely hard work but one of the best things I’ve ever done. Not many people get to sit with a rhino and cuddle up to lion cubs.”

After completing her course at Newton Rigg, Brodie is hoping to go on to study zoo management.

Newton Rigg will be attending this years Farmer Network Dairy Herd Expansion Conference.

Penrith Auction will be the venue for the first ever conference in Cumbria covering the issue of dairy herd expansion.  The Conference will take place on Thursday 22nd September 2011 from 10.30am until 3.00pm with speakers covering the many issues that farmers face when they seek to expand their dairy herds.  Farmers will be free to attend whichever talks they are interested in and also visit over 30 dairy company and industry exhibition stands in the Show Hall.

Come and visit our stand and learn about the exciting new things happening at Newton Rigg College.

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.

Mrs Whitehead studied for a BTEC in dog grooming at Newton Rigg College, Penrith, passing with a distinction.

“I have always fancied having my own business and now my three children are older, I thought this was the perfect time to do it."

She bought her van from a fellow dog groomer in Kirkbride, who also passed on her customer list.

She offers a complete grooming service, including nail clipping, flea rinses and bathing using a warm hydrobath.

For more information, phone 07546 978847 or email k9couture63@googlemail.com.

For more information on dog grooming courses at Newton Rigg please click here.

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.

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.

Ofsted's “OUTSTANDING” Accolade

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.