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A blooming triumph in challenging times

13th January 2021 by Eluned Watson

Horticulture student Will and teacher Will have been busy cutting back and clearing in the Walled Garden for winter.

Specialist further education college Derwen College is delighted to be praised for its hard work in challenging times by UK-wide horticultural campaign Britain in Bloom.

The Walled Garden at Derwen College, in Shropshire, has been recognised by Britain in Bloom because of its important place in the community.

The garden was presented to Derwen College, near Oswestry, from the Shropshire Horticultural Society in 1989. And, it continues to to provide learning and work skills for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Judges awarded Derwen College Walled Garden with a Gold award in 2019.

Students on the College’s Horticulture pathway, tend the garden as part of their learning and work experience. Visitors to Derwen College’s Garden Centre and Shop, and Garden Café enjoy spending time in the tranquil space when they are able to visit.

In 2019, the beautiful Walled Garden scooped a top prize of a Gold/Outstanding Award. This was in the Royal Horticultural Society-run Britain in Bloom competition in the category called ‘In Your Neighbourhood’. For 2020, judging was not able to happen in the same way. However, Derwen College was thrilled that The Royal Horticultural Society and Heart of England in Bloom presented the College with a Certificate of Recognition.

Community spirit

RHS Community Development Manager Kay Clark said:

“This year, an amazing sense of community spirit has enabled people to face the difficulties of this dreadful pandemic together. Through Bloom, It’s Your Neighbourhood, and other community gardening activities you have laid the strong foundations that helped make communities more resilient in these testing times.

“People have felt closer to nature through lockdown. So, they have valued access to green space so much more. We have heard that people are valuing your work more than ever before.

“We want to recognise how important you all are, and how valuable your work is.”

Derwen College Principal Meryl Green was delighted with the recognition.

She said: “We are over the moon that the hard work of our Horticulture students and staff has been recognised during a year like no other, where everyone has had to pull together to do the very best that they can in exceptional circumstances.

“We are very proud of our Walled Garden which is a beautiful, tranquil space that is enjoyed by students, staff and the community. We look forward to being able to welcome back visitors in 2021.”

Find out more about a pathway in Horticulture at Derwen College here.

Best foot forward for AoC Challenge

17th June 2020 by Eluned Watson

Looking to get active with a new challenge? Derwen College needs students and staff to pop on those trainers and walk or run for the Go the Distance Challenge as part of AoC (Association of Colleges) Sport.

The Go the Distance Challenge is an inclusive run or walk team challenge using the free Strava app, which can be connected on mobile phone or running device.

We know you’re a sporty lot. So, between all of us at Derwen College, we hope to run or walk 456 miles – the equivalent distance from AoC’s most southern member (Truro and Penwith College) to the most northern member (Northumberland College).

We’d also love to see your Go The Distance photos of where you’ve been walking or running.

For more information about the challenge, and to see the latest leaderboards click here.

To log on to our Derwen College Strava running club go to

https://www.strava.com/clubs/DerwenCollegeRunningClub

It is important that you ensure that all your Strava privacy settings are marked as ‘private’, and are not visible to the public.

Please note that walking will need to be recorded as a run on Strava for it to count towards your college’s total distance. To do this students will need to select the ‘run’ setting on the app whether you are walking or running.

So, come on Team Derwen. Between us we can do this.

The walk must go on

12th June 2020 by Eluned Watson

Derwen College Charity sponsored walk — Carter and mum Pam walked 10km.

A Derwen College student and his family have raised more than £1500 for the college on a sponsored walk around their home village.

Student Carter Gough, who is a Hospitality and Housekeeping student at the specialist Shropshire college, took on the 10km challenge when the college’s charity sponsored walk was cancelled due to the Covid-19 restrictions.

Student Carter, his parents Pam and Lloyd, and his sister Madison decided to honour their commitment to the Derwen College Sponsored Walk by walking 10km around their home village in Worcestershire.

The family took on the walk on April 5th, starting at 11am which was the exact time that the original walk had been due to take place. The family were delighted to raise a phenomenal £1500 for Derwen College Charity.

Pam Gough said: “We had already gathered lots of sponsorship before the walk and before the government lockdown measures were put in place. But we wanted to honour the donations made by our friends and family. Also, the event was on the family calendar, and Carter was adamant it had to happen so we did the walk our way.

“We then posted pictures doing the walk on our Facebook page, and other friends and family decided to sponsor us too, therefore we raised even more money.”

This is Carter’s final year at college, and his friends and family were keen to support the college to show their appreciation of his progress.

“Many of our friends and family are aware of how important Derwen College has been for Carter,” said Mrs Gough.

Derwen College Charity sponsored walk 2020 — Dad Lloyd took a selfie of the family sponsored walk.

“The independence skills and confidence he has gained has been huge. We have gone from a young man who mainly communicated using sign language, pictures and very limited speech to now having conversations. It has been amazing. He is leaving college with real work and life skills, and we know he is capable of working independently.

“For Carter, being able to communicate his thoughts and feelings, and frustrations, has been vital. He can tell us how he feels and what he wants; it has made such a difference to his confidence. That is how much of a game changer Derwen College has been for Carter.”

Thank you to the Gough family

Fundraiser Anna Evans said:

“We are so grateful to Carter and his family for thinking about Derwen College during these very uncertain and worrying times. To have raised this amount for the college is wonderful, and we will be using this donation to boost our Agnes Hunt Village project appeal, which is still ongoing.

“We aim to refurbish and renovate our unique complex of bungalows at Derwen College which provide students just like Carter with the setting to learn how to live independently and to care for themselves. Carter himself has lived in the Agnes Hunt Village, and he knows just how important these facilities are for young adults with SEND. We thank the Gough family for their wonderful support.”

Events postponed and outlets closed

17th March 2020 by Eluned Watson

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.

Derwen Dance Crew’s winning performance

11th March 2020 by Eluned Watson

Derwen College’s newly formed Derwen Dance Crew stole the show to win at a dance competition in Wolverhampton.

Derwen Dance Crew (DDC), made up of talented students from the specialist Shropshire college, entered Nexstar dance competition in Wolverhampton. The team performed as a group and with individual performances. They received a win and standing ovations from the audience and professional judges.

The group of 10 students with a range of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) were thrilled to win first prize in the over 16s SEN Street Crew category.

In addition, students Ben Moore-Hill and Billie-Jo Bailey impressed judges when competing against mainstream dance schools. Ben won second place in the over 16s mainstream Street solo. Billie-Jo achieved fifth place in the over 16s mainstream contemporary solo.

The judges were impressed by the high standard of DDC, resulting in two of them handing out the highest possible marks for the group’s performance. The win was made especially incredible as DDC was only launched in January. Students had just six weeks of rehearsal time to learn four group dances.

Derwen College Sports and Activity Maker and dance instructor Opal Trevor assembled the group and supports them in rehearsals and performances. She said she was incredibly proud of their achievements.

She said: The crew have been attending weekly rehearsals and this weekend competed in their first ever Mainstream Street Dance competition in Wolverhampton. They have worked so hard, turning up for rehearsals every week and practising between sessions. Their win was even more remarkable as they were performing alongside groups and individuals who attend professional dance schools.

“The reaction from audience and judges was overwhelming. Everyone was blown away by what these students had achieved. We received standing ovations, there were even tears! Judges described the performance as beautiful, moving and a demonstration of the diversity of dance.”

Individual wins

Student Ben Moore-Hill, from Sale, near Manchester, was delighted to receive a trophy for his performance in the mainstream street dance competition. The Creative Arts student, whose speciality is the ‘freeze frame’ move, said he was very happy with DDC’s success.

“I was emotional and cried happy tears. I was very proud to dance in front of my parents and in memory of my grandma who recently passed away,” he said.

“It felt like I was a professional dancer. I have been dancing a long time and would like to do it as a career. Carrying on my Street Dancing at Derwen College has made me more confident.

Derwen College winner at Wolverhampton street dance competition Nexstar 2020 — Ben was awarded second place in the mainstream over-16s street dance competition.

Ben has been performing street dance since he was at school and said he was pleased to be able to share his skills with Derwen College students .

“Opal has been brilliant. I can’t wait to perform at College Prizegiving in front of everyone.”

Creative Arts student Giverney Blomeley said:

“It’s really amazing. I was nervous on the day, then so happy we won. I was crying happy tears too.

“We only started in January. It has been difficult to learn the routines but we’ve practised hard and worked well together as a group, To help me learn, I videoed routines on my phone so I could practise between rehearsals. Performed four dances mashed together.

Performing Arts student Giverney is now looking forward to dancing at College Prizegiving and has started rehearsals for the College’s big Summer Show.

Competition raffle sponsor Steve Baxter from Sweet Memories in Wolverhampton, was so impressed with the Derwen Crew that he donated the raffle money to DDC to help cover the costs of future competitions. A big thank you to him from DDC and all at Derwen.

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