Oatridge Achievements in 2005
Oatridge apprentice to keep the family in farming
January 2005
Meeting Colin Inglis, it's not at all hard to understand why his tutors at Oatridge College are so pleased - and proud - that this big lad from Aberdour in Fife has been named Scottish land-based Modern Apprentice of the Year, by the sector body LANTRA. Easy going, softly spoken and naturally polite, he is instantly likeable, but it's his utter dedication to the countryside and his focus on becoming a good farmer, which really impress. "I was brought up on a farm. I've lived on a farm since I was a day old. It's all I have ever wanted to do", he says.
Sleepless students built award winning garden
June 2005
A show garden, designed by a tutor at Oatridge College in West Lothian and built over three almost sleepless nights by teams of her students, has been awarded one of the top honours at this year's Gardening Scotland Show.
Ann Burns' Perennial Garden, took the silver gilt award against fierce opposition from all over Scotland and beyond.
Her ten by eight metre plot had pride of place inside the Highland Hall at the Ingliston Showground and was created on behalf of the charity Perennial, formerly the Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Society.
Launch of the Landbased Industries Support Service
August 2005
The Landbased Industries Support Service (LISS), which draws on the expertise of Oatridge College in West Lothian to advise Scottish rural businesses, has been officially launched with a target of helping to boost sector growth by 10% a year over the next decade.
More than 60 delegates attended the launch seminar, organised joined by Oatridge and West Lothian Chamber of Commerce, and heard Project Manager Chris Wond (left) promise a one-stop-shop for advice and training for both start-ups and established businesses. Chris Wond says: "Our aim is to give small and medium-sized enterprises in all of these fields improved access to support. We will encourage growth, competitiveness and sustainability through training - in conjunction with the College - plus advice, networking and business guidance. We want to see job creation and the safeguarding of jobs, through the bridging of the knowledge gap." LISS is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
Douglas the fencing master
August 2005
Douglas Weymouth (Left) is designing and building the new cross-country course, which will be a challenging feature of Oatridge College's return to the British Eventing calendar in May of 2006.
Construction of the portable fences has already begun at Douglas's workshops in Lamonby, Cumbria, and weather permitting, it is hoped to make progress on the permanent parts of the course soon. The one-day event will include the Intro and Pre-Novice Finals for Scotland - with the winners going forward to the national finals in Northamptonshire - and a Novice class.
Nickol and Neil take the Honours
August 2005
With health, financial and personal problems piling up, Nickol Stewardson, a mature student from Portobello, was on the verge of dropping out...but now the 34 year old has emerged from the Scottish Agricultural College in Edinburgh with a BSc Honours Degree in Environmental Protection and a special award for achieving it in the face of adversity.
Nickol joined year three of the Honours Degree Course at SAC after completing a Higher National Diploma in Countryside Management with Distinction at Oatridge College. That was the same route taken by his friend and fellow student, Neil Thomson, another 34 year old, from Linlithgow, who emerged as top SAC student in Scotland when he graduated BSc Honours in Environmental Protection, again with a 2.1. The two men picked up their awards at a graduation ceremony in Glasgow University's Bute Hall.
Oatridge project gets £900,000 cash injection - Equestrian centre will boost sports, jobs and tourism
September 2005
Oatridge College in West Lothian has been given massive cash backing to develop a national Equestrian Performance Centre for Scotland. Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian and sportscotland have each pledged £450,000 towards the ambitious project.
The announcement of the huge cash injection was made by the Scottish Sports Minister Patricia Ferguson MSP, during a visit to the site of the £3.5 million Centre at Ecclesmachan. It comes on top of support from the Scottish Further Education Funding Council. The Minister believes the new Centre will provide an excellent base from which to develop Scotland's Equestrian athletes, and she said: " will also be used to encourage greater participation in the sport, particularly for people with disabilities."
David James, the Principal and Chief Executive of Oatridge College, says: "The development of the Scottish Equestrian Performance Centre here at Oatridge is great news for the College, for the West Lothian area and for everyone involved in equestrian sports throughout Scotland.
Farriers "Honour" Greig
September 2005
There was an anvil chorus of congratulations for former Modern Apprentice student Greig Elliot when he passed his Diploma of the Worshipful Company of Farriers with Honours. He was the first to do so in the UK in seven years and his success came as no surprise to his tutor at Oatridge, Stephen Gowing. He says: "Greig was always a model student who was hungry for knowledge and with a lot of self-motivation. He always strived for perfection and with this result, he very nearly achieved it."
Greig trained with three-times world champion farrier Billy Crothers at Leighton Buzzard, Buckinghamshire, but has now set up his own business in his home town, Bristol.
Bobby's war on waste a winner
November 2005
Bobby Wilson, the Property Manager at Oatridge College at Ecclesmachan, simply hates waste and now his passions for cost cutting, recycling and environmental protection has landed him a top prize at the West Lothian Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards.
Thanks to Bobby's efforts, Scotland's premier centre for landbased education and training not only saved close to £60,000, but according to College Principal David James, his "fantastic contribution" to campus life has helped Oatridge practice what it teaches on conservation issues.
Gordon sweeps up Olympic Gold
November 2005
Gordon McDougall has become the first-ever Oatridge student to win an Olympic Gold medal. He was vice-skip of the Team GB curling squad which swept to victory in the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in Switzerland, beating the host nation 8-3 in the final.
By doing so, the 18 year-old agriculture student and his teammates gave the UK its first Gold Medal at the Games and the first medal of any kind to be won by a male curling team. They were of course, following in the brushstrokes of the now legendary Rhona Martin and her ladies squad.
Oatridge scores a hat-trick of top awards
December 2005
Oatridge College in West Lothian rounded-off a hat-trick of prestigious awards in just a week, when a team of five students was the surprise winner of the Winter Wheat Challenge organised by the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC).
The competition is open to landbased colleges all over Scotland and is now in its 16th year, but it was the first-time triumph for Oatridge. The team of 2nd year Higher National Diploma students - William Dandie from Broxburn, Richard Robinson from Denny, Jamie Bryson from Strathaven, Steven Gregg from Girvan and Shaun Lyon from the island of Bute - used the UK's most popular seed variety, Robigus, to produce the most commercially viable crop. Doing so they halted the home College's attempt to win three years in a row.