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New crop of preserves for British Food Fortnight

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Jake shows off the new Pear and Walnut Chutney

Derwen College, near Oswestry, marks British Food Fortnight from 19th September to 4th October by launching a new range of Made@Derwen seasonal jams and chutneys.

Using British produce, some of it grown on site, students at the college, in Gobowen, have been busy helping to produce a new range of Made@Derwen chutneys and jams. These are inspired by the college’s autumnal crops.

Because of Derwen’s own harvest of plums, pears and apples, the college is proud to produce British fare using local ingredients.

Hospitality & Housekeeping students at the college for young adults with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have supported Derwen Food Centre cook Tracey Southern. So, between them, they have peeled, chopped, boiled and stirred to create new recipes. These include Pear and Walnut Chutney, Cinnamon Scented Plum Jam, Beer Mustard and Deluxe Mincemeat.

The range will be added to current Made@Derwen favourites which include the college’s Great Taste Award-winning Raspberry Jam and Spiced Apple Chutney.

Cook Tracey Southern said: “We were keen to use the abundance of fruit we have growing in our orchard which included pears, plums and apples. So, I came up with some seasonal recipes which are perfect for autumn, and will make lovely Christmas presents.”

Derwen College supports Love British Food

Derwen College jams and chutneys are sold in the college’s Garden Centre Shop alongside home-made cakes and bread. The shop also stocks cards and gifts, as well as seasonal plants to brighten up an autumn garden.

Derwen College Made@Derwen chutneys and jam
Sam with the new Made@Derwen Beer Mustard and Deluxe Mincemeat

Derwen’s Garden Café serves up a traditional British menu seven days a week. The menu offers English breakfasts, scones with butter and jam, home-made cakes and light lunches.

Derwen College gives students the opportunity to learn new skills in real work environments. They learn life skills which will enable them to live as independently as possible. Students learn skills in Hospitality & Housekeeping, Horticulture, Retail or Performing Arts.

For more information regarding Derwen College’s Garden Centre and Shop click here.. To find out more about learning at the college click here.

Events postponed and outlets closed

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Derwen College events postponed Derwen College outlets closed

Derwen College, near Oswestry, has postponed upcoming events and will close its shopping and eating outlets until further notice in response to government advice surrounding Coronavirus.

The specialist further education college in Gobowen has made the difficult decision to postpone events including April’s annual Sponsored Walk and Fun Run, as well as the Summer Fete which was due to take place in May.

The college-run Orangery Restaurant, Garden Café, Hotel 751, Karten Print Shop and Garden Centre and Shop will also close for business from Tuesday, 14th March at 4pm until further notice.

The Gobowen Station Cafe, which is manned by Derwen College staff and students, also closes temporarily from Tuesday, 14th at 3.15pm.

All events, courses, workshops and meetings scheduled to take place at the college over the coming weeks are also postponed.

The College currently remains open to students and continues to follow government guidelines on keeping students and staff safe.

For the most up-date information go to www.visitderwen.co.uk or telephone 01691 661234.

Nest Box Week at Derwen’s Garden Centre

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Derwen College National Nestbox Week
Retail students have created a Derwen Nest Box Week display and a special bird lovers’ hamper.

We’re marking Nest Box Week at Derwen College Garden Centre with shopping, activities and special offers for fans of Britain’s much-loved feathered friends.

There’s something for ornithologists of all ages to do over the school half-term holiday week. Because, at Derwen College Garden Centre Shop, we’re celebrating Nest Box Week from Monday 17th February to Sunday, 23rd February 2020.

We’re calling on young ‘twitchers’ to enter into the spirit of National Nest Box Week with a bird-spotting competition of our own.  So, there will be five metal robins hidden around the shop for you to find. Every person who manages to identify all five will receive a sweet treat. Then all entries will be entered into a prize draw to win a special mini Nest Box Week hamper.
The shop is also offering 10% off the college’s upcycled birdboxes. These birdboxes were created by students as part of their work experience. There’s also a ‘buy one get one free’ offer on bags of bird food. So shoppers can to keep bird feeders and bird tables stocked through until spring.
Derwen College National Nestbox Week

Bird spotting

Over the winter months, Derwen College staff and students have been filling bird feeders outside the Garden Centre. Because of our effort we have spotted many regular visitors. These include two robins, a couple of plump pigeons, Great Tits, jackdaws and a little Jenny wren.
Garden Centre Shop commercial supervisor Sharon Jones says the team have enjoyed getting to know their winged visitors.
“We have lots to do over the half term week for bird lovers. We’d love shoppers to come and join in the competition, support birds in their own gardens, and spot some of the regular birds who visit the Derwen bird feeders. We even have a huge buzzard who regularly flies over the football field. We think he’s after the moles.”
Derwen College commercial areas provide work placements for students with special educational needs and disabilities. The site offers a Garden Centre and Shop, Garden Café with outdoor play area, Orangery Restaurant and a popular Woodland Walk.
National Nest Box Week is an annual event that takes place every year from the 14th to 21st February. It has been running for over 20 years and is now an important part of the ornithological calendar. St Valentine’s Day was chosen for the start of National Nest Box Week as it’s the traditional date when birds pair up for the new breeding season.

Creating opportunities for all our students

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At Derwen College, our values are key to our success. We strive to be Ambitious, Caring, Collaborative, Inclusive and Creative. This month, our blog focuses on our CREATIVE value.

There is a huge amount of creative work carried out by students and staff at Derwen College, and not just on the Creative Arts pathway – although that’s as good a place to start as any.

DOT – Derwen on Tour – are the college’s sign, song and dance group. Each year a group of Creative Arts students perform using Makaton signs and dance, and have appeared on stage at local and national events. They recently performed in front of more than 5000 people at a Premier Inn event hosted by television personality Rylan Clark-Neal, receiving standing ovations.

They have also been an integral part of the Llangollen International Eisteddfod Inclusion Project, and will be making appearances at Oswestry Lights Switch on, Hope House, Llanfyllin Christmas Markets and Llys Jasmine Care Home over the coming weeks (see performance dates here).

Creative Arts are busy over the Christmas period designing and producing hand-made cards, gifts and arts to be sold in the College’s Garden Centre Shop and online at Folksy.com. Work created by students is always for a purpose, whether to be sold at our shop or displayed in our annual exhibition or as guest artists at local galleries such as Oswestry’s The Qube.

As an outstanding College, Derwen strives to be creative in all curriculum pathway areas of learning, as well as in providing outstanding opportunities for students in their work, care, wellbeing and enrichment.

At Derwen, we tailor each student’s curriculum to their agreed outcomes. Real-work opportunities take place on site in the Garden Centre and Shop, Print Centre, Garden Café, Orangery Restaurant and Hotel 751 as well as off-site with a range of industry partners.

The innovative ways we devise to help students develop their independence skills, such as through our unique Travel Training programme, are just part of Derwen’s 24/7 learning environment. Here, every moment matters towards our students’ learning and development, towards their future goals.

Our unique bungalows village – the vision of our founder Dame Agnes Hunt – is the epitome of creative thinking where students live and learn independence skills equipping them for their future. Agnes Hunt Village is currently being remodelled to provide the very best learning and living environment. For this to happen effectively, we have involved our students, staff and community in the upgrading and are creative with design and partnerships.

Creativity is essential in our college-wide Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) initiative – supporting students and staff in identifying and minimising behaviours that challenge and create barriers to learning; the ability to think creatively and look for new perspectives is key to the success of PBS. For example, through the use of innovative teambuilding Lego-based therapy, students work together to build models developing social skills such as turn taking, collaboration and communication. We have found that the therapy enables students to use their interests to motivate their own learning in a situation that is fun and engaging.

Creative thinking is encouraged in all areas of College to support students in being the very best that they can be to ensure they realise their ambitions for the future.

Fun for all at Summer Fete

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Students Alice Hirst and Carys William make preparations for Summer Fete day.

Family fun, food and fundraising are the focus for Derwen College’s annual Summer Fete on Thursday, 30th May.

Organisers of Derwen College’s annual fete, in the college grounds at Gobowen, near Oswestry, are expecting visitors galore to the free event which features a host of games, entertainment, shopping, food and much more.

Join students, staff and supporters at the further education college for young adults with learning difficulties and disabilities from 12 noon. For the second year running, the fete will take place in the college’s popular commercial areas, making it more convenient for visitors to enjoy the college’s Orangery Restaurant, Garden Café, Garden Centre and Shop.

Visitors can take part in games, shop at the wide selection of stalls and enjoy some tasty treats cooked to perfection on the barbecue. Other highlights include a student performance, an art exhibition and a grand raffle with a host of fabulous prizes.

There will be a bus transporting visitors to and from the fete from Oswestry town centre. The bus, supplied by Owens Coaches, will leave Park Gates at 11.30am and return from the fete at 3.30pm.

Derwen College Marketing and Projects Co-ordinator Helen Edwards said that they were expecting another busy fete.

“We had some great feedback after moving the fete to the commercial areas last year so we’re delighted to be doing it again. We have fun activities, games and have-a-go sessions, and are hoping to offer something for everyone. It’s also a fabulous opportunity to showcase some of the amazing work done by our Creative Arts students in the exhibition and show,” she said.

“As well as all the stalls, games and activities of the fete, there’s easy parking and shopping and eating opportunities in our Garden Centre, restaurant and cafe.”

The Orangery Restaurant will be open from 11.30am-4pm serving main meals from £5.95. Booking is essential. Email bookings@derwen.ac.uk or by telephone at 01691 661234.

More information here

Derwen College’s Great British winner

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Retail student Joe Simson presents competition winner Charlotte Cauldwell and her children Ava and Bailey Wildman with their Derwen College hamper.

Forget The Great British Bake Off, it was a humble chip recipe that earned an Oswestry mum a prized luxury hamper courtesy of Derwen College.

Charlotte Cauldwell won a competition to name her family’s favourite ‘Best of British’ meal as part of Derwen College’s British Food Fortnight celebrations.

A luxury hamper put together by retail students, and featuring home-made produce made by students, was presented to Charlotte at the college.

Charlotte’s favourite dish was a Great British favourite – home-made chips. She gives them her own twist by loading with bacon, cheese, barbecue sauce, peppers and mushrooms.

“All Brits love chips and these have added extras,” she said of her recipe.

Charlotte and her children Bailey and Ava Wildman collected their hamper brimming with goodies made and sold by students at the college.

She said: “I entered because I love food and competitions! I chose my dish as it’s a bit healthy but a bit naughty too with all the loaded toppings. I loved my hamper.”

During the fortnight, Derwen College’s Orangery Restaurant – which is open to the public daily from 10am-4pm — served up a series of classic British dishes.

British Food Fortnight was one of the wide range of events which are held at Derwen College’s commercial outlets including Garden Centre, Garden Café, and the Orangery Restaurant. For more information go to www.visitderwen.co.uk

For more information go to www.visitderwen.co.uk

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