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30 years at Derwen

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Derwen College Plant Production Manager Paul Moss is wearing a Derwen Charity Easter Challenge t-shirt in preparation for the fundraising event.
During his time at Derwen, Paul has taken part in sponsored walks and runs, including our Easter Challenge.

At Derwen College, we’re celebrating milestone work anniversaries this term, including one member of staff who has clocked up an amazing three decades with us.

This month, Nursery and Production Manager Paul Moss marks 30 years working at Derwen.

Paul joined the college on 4 November 1991 as a Senior Gardening Instructor.
In 1996 he started his teaching qualification, and in 1998 became a tutor within Horticulture.

Throughout his 30 years here, he has had many roles including being Head of Department for Horticulture. Paul is now our Plant Production Manager responsible for plants and seasonal produce for the College and supporting our commercial activities including providing (and potting) the amazing flowers you see across Oswestry town centre.

Plants don’t answer back!

During his time at the College, he has seen many changes and worked with many different students and staff. His love of working outdoors with students on a wide variety of Horticulture tasks remains as strong as ever. He says: “I have been very lucky to have been involved with plants for all of my working life and I think it has been good for my wellbeing. Plants don’t answer back!

“I have particularly enjoyed the summer and autumn bedding plant schemes we have done in the community, including Oswestry, Llangollen, Cefn Mawr and Gobowen.”

Even during the pandemic, Paul remained busy, helping to order stock and keep the Garden Centre running, and taking and delivering orders.

Away from the plants, Paul says he has enjoyed taking students on trips, especially to his beloved football club.
He says: “I have enjoyed taking the students to see the best team in the world: Stoke City FC; and managing to convert at least a dozen students over the years!”

Natalie Bellis, Derwen College Director of Human Resources and Estates, says:
“Paul has been part of the Derwen family for 30 years, and he has made an outstanding contribution to our success throughout this time. His work within Horticulture and the Garden Centre is appreciated by the students, clients, your colleagues and us.”

The following staff also mark significant anniversaries with us, this term:
Carys Hill (Care) – 20 years’ service
Emma Dodd (Safeguarding) – 10 years’ service
Sharon Jones (Garden Café) – 10 years’ service
Tim Mason (Estates) – 10 years’ service

Thank you all for your dedication and service to the College.

David Austin Roses delivered to Derwen College

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Gardens & Plant Production students Tara and Ruth with the new roses.

Derwen College Garden Centre, near Oswestry, has received a new delivery of roses from world-renowned growers David Austin Roses. This is the first consignment since being chosen as one of the company’s exclusive stockist partners.

Family-run Shropshire business David Austin Roses only allows their exquisite English Roses to be sold at specially selected outlets. Derwen College Garden Centre and Gift Shop, near Oswestry, is delighted to be one of these selected retailers invited to join the David Austin Partnership Programme this year.

Gardens & Plant Production students Tara, Ruth and Oliver and Garden Centre Commercial Supervisor & Curriculum Link Will Lyon were on hand to check and display the new stock. Varieties include ‘Tranquillity’, ‘Mill on the Floss’, ‘Darcey Bussell’, ‘Molineux’ and ‘James Galway’. The roses are all priced at £21.99.

Derwen College Commercial Manager Pete Evans said that the college was proud to have been chosen by David Austin Roses as one their carefully selected stockists.

He said: “It is a privilege to be selected as one of only a few retailers to sell David Austin Roses in Shropshire.”

Will Lyon said: “We have all been very excited to receive the first delivery of David Austin roses since we were selected to join their partnership programme. Customers have been excited to see the new roses, which are a fabulous addition to our wide range of plants, shrubs and trees.

“Students on the College’s Gardens and Plant Production work pathway tend to and care for a variety of plants at the Garden Centre. While, Retail and Enterprise students learn valuable business and customer services skills working in the Garden Centre and Gift Shop. Come and visit us for a relaxed shopping experience in beautiful surroundings, and enjoy a cup of tea and a bite to eat whilst you’re here.”

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.

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30 Nov

Students congratulated Sports & Leisure Coordinator @SteveE_Derwen who won Gold at the @TeachingAwards on Sunday. Thanks to Steve for the passion, commitment and dedication to offering every student the opportunity to live a healthier, happier lifestyle. @DofECentral

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