A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY

Heritage students at University Centre Shrewsbury are working with the Churches Conservation Trust on a public engagement project, ‘The Past, Present and Future of St Mary’s Stained Glass’. Its aim is to foster understanding of the conservation of the medieval stained glass in the Grade-I listed building in Shrewsbury, which is unique in Britain and renowned worldwide.

St Mary’s was affected by heritage crime during lockdown when two panels of stained glass were damaged. Their restoration is part of the project: new designs have been created by students and members of the community, inspired by the original windows. Students will have the opportunity to contribute to other aspects of the project during the coming year.

Printing The Future

Cheshire College South & West’s Chester campus has received a generous donation of two 3D printers for its Digital Hub, courtesy of one of its employer partners, Altimex Ltd. The donations were presented by the company’s managing director, Davinder Lotay, who is also one of the college’s external governors.

Davinder said: “I’m hoping the Ender 3D printers will help to make the students’ learning more tangible, as they will be putting theoretical knowledge into practice and bringing their models to fruition in some way.”

The importance of digital skills has never been more apparent, and Cheshire College is on a mission to support the community in this through its Digital Hub initiative. The Chester campus is home to the newbuild, which is equipped with industry-standard technology and equipment to enhance student learning.

Scholarship Success

Laura Underwood, from Chester, who is studying for a BA (Hons) in Social Work at University Centre Warrington, applied for the Santander Universities Scholars Programme and was selected from over 3,500 students. She will receive £10,000 a year in support over the three-year programme. For more than 15 years Santander Universities UK has been collaborating with a large network of university partners in the UK, including the University of Chester. The Scholars Programme aims to break down barriers for students who are most likely to face challenges when attending higher education, and help them to access the educational opportunities and skills they need to fulfil their true potential.

Star Bakers

Four talented young pastry chefs from Reaseheath College have shown o their creativity in a bid to qualify for the WorldSkills UK 2023 national finals. Level 3 Diploma in Bakery students John Samson, Jack Owen, Orion Johnson and Aaron Newall contested the Confectionery and Patisserie qualifier for the final in November. Success there could lead to a place on the UK squad and the chance to compete for the international pastry title.

The students successfully passed an online patisserie knowledge test to secure their places in the qualifier, which then required them to create a highly decorated roulade on a ‘Black Forest’ theme. They also had to produce two plated portions fit for restaurant service within the four-hour competition.