Land-based educational charity secure one of Newton Rigg College's sites

[thesilentone]

A land-based educational charity has secured the future of one of Newton Rigg College's sites.The Ernest Cook Trust will continue to operate Low Beckside Farm, Mungrisdale, as a crucial learning resource for the region.The Trust’s Chairman of Trustees, Andrew Christie-Miller, said: “We have been looking for a suitable place to support land-based learning in the north of England. We are really excited about the opportunities that Low Beckside will offer to so many young people.”

Land-based educational charity secure one of Newton Rigg College's sites | ITV News

The Ernest Cook Trust will continue to operate Low Beckside Farm, Mungrisdale, as a crucial learning resource for the region. | ITV News Border

www.itv.com

 

[Fendt516profi]

@NoParticularPattern

 

[delilah]

Good people.

https://ernestcooktrust.org.uk/

 

[thesilentone]

Good people.

https://ernestcooktrust.org.uk/

Without doubt, however, I'm not sure how they are going to deliver Land Based education and learning for the Agricultural Sector ?

 

[delilah]

Without doubt, however, I'm not sure how they are going to deliver Land Based education and learning for the Agricultural Sector ?

Will be interesting to watch. Maybe they see this an an exciting opportunity to broaden their current remit and teach practical farming skills alongside environmental principles.

 

[ajcc]

Indeed they are a very good bet for agri-environmental education/ land management. Would think that it’s a potentially very positive future for the college farm.

 

[thesilentone]

Indeed they are a very good bet for agri-environmental education/ land management. Would think that it’s a potentially very positive future for the college farm.

Mmm, not sure, it's the Hill Farm they have acquired, all set up for sheep.

 

[ajcc]

Mmm, not sure, it's the Hill Farm they have acquired, all set up for sheep.

But the trustees are a quality lineup and well up for organising and creating a good future prospect going forward. They have much better credentials than a great many alternatives. Understand your reservations but it could be lost as education facility or be under a less agricultural minded/caring owners.

 

[Bill the Bass]

As I understand it is the only ag college that has a hill farm, salvaging Low Beckside from the ashes should be seen as goon news for the hill farming sector.

 

[hally]

As I understand it is the only ag college that has a hill farm, salvaging Low Beckside from the ashes should be seen as goon news for the hill farming sector.

Kirkley Hall always had one in Carlcroft but not sure if they still have it, or if Kirkley is an ag college nowadays

 

[Bill the Bass]

Kirkley Hall always had one in Carlcroft but not sure if they still have it, or if Kirkley is an ag college nowadays

I don’t know for certain, just repeating the statement that some of the recent lecturers at Newton Rigg have said. I do think on the whole it’s better than it going into private hands

 

[thesilentone]

As I understand it is the only ag college that has a hill farm, salvaging Low Beckside from the ashes should be seen as goon news for the hill farming sector.

It was far from needing salvaging, AB spent an arm and a leg on the place. There was much criticism that the investment and facilities were way beyond the reach of any sheep farmer, and out of proportion to the Industry. As it is, maybe their was a hidden agenda.

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[hally]

I do think though that teaching ag colleges should have state of the art infrastructure and the latest technology otherwise how are you going to attract youngsters. Who wants to pay 9k a year to go to a college with a poorer set up than a lot will have back at home.

 

[thesilentone]

I do think though that teaching ag colleges should have state of the art infrastructure and the latest technology otherwise how are you going to attract youngsters. Who wants to pay 9k a year to go to a college with a poorer set up than a lot will have back at home.

I agree, however, they also spent an arm and a leg at Sewborwens Dairy Unit, which included a new parlour but no robots ??

As it is, it's history now, and Cumbrian Farming (and the North) is poorer at the loss of these great Educational assets.

 

[hally]

I agree, however, they also spent an arm and a leg at Sewborwens Dairy Unit, which included a new parlour but no robots ??

As it is, it's history now, and Cumbrian Farming (and the North) is poorer at the loss of these great Educational assets.

Yes it does seem an own goal for a dairy college not to have both a robot and a parlour

 

[Mc115reed]

I agree, however, they also spent an arm and a leg at Sewborwens Dairy Unit, which included a new parlour but no robots ??

As it is, it's history now, and Cumbrian Farming (and the North) is poorer at the loss of these great Educational assets.

could be worse… when I was there I helped rip out all of the old cubicle sheds and cart all the rubble away with tractors and dump trailers as part of my land based technology course so that they could start doing brick laying courses in the sheds The best tractor work we got too do was with a 100 horse power fergie and a 3 furrow conventional plough We did get too tear a little square baler apart and put it back together again though that was fun…the point is… I was there in 2010 I think it would of been and we were f**king about with kit from the 60s… the college needed modernising but they really spent the money in the wrong areas

 

[thesilentone]

Wonder if he has the same reservations ?

Save Newton Rigg: MP meets with the new owner of Low Beckside Farm - cumbriacrack.com

Penrith's MP has met with the trust which is taking over one of Newton Rigg's assets.

cumbriacrack.com

 

[Bill the Bass]

It was far from needing salvaging, AB spent an arm and a leg on the place. There was much criticism that the investment and facilities were way beyond the reach of any sheep farmer, and out of proportion to the Industry. As it is, maybe their was a hidden agenda.

Farms for sale in Mungrisdale, Cumbria | Savills

Property for sale in Mungrisdale, Cumbria from Savills, world leading estate agents. From country estates to city apartments, your ideal property is just a click away.

search.savills.com

I meant salvaging the situation, not insinuating the properties were in a state. I am pretty familiar with the farms (very familiar with the new dairy). I would challenge your view that AB invested a lot, they did, but very little of their own capital. The new dairy unit was paid for with a huge department of education grant iirc, match funded with a lot of EU funding.

 

[hally]

I meant salvaging the situation, not insinuating the properties were in a state. I am pretty familiar with the farms (very familiar with the new dairy). I would challenge your view that AB invested a lot, they did, but very little of their own capital. The new dairy unit was paid for with a huge department of education grant iirc, match funded with a lot of EU funding.

Still can’t fathom how a local college which originally belonged to the council ( as they all did) and was taken over by another college who was allowed to use grants and public money etc to improve the place , then got to sell at all and keep the money. In my possibly ignorant opinion, AB have simply stolen NR from the tax payer.

 

[Mc115reed]

Still can’t fathom how a local college which originally belonged to the council ( as they all did) and was taken over by another college who was allowed to use grants and public money etc to improve the place , then got to sell at all and keep the money. In my possibly ignorant opinion, AB have simply stolen NR from the tax payer.

Never claimed one but I always thought grants had conditions that if you sold off after before so long you have too pay the money back….