Newbury College Launches Carbon Footprint Garden
Created on 1.7.2010
Newbury College officially opened its ‘Carbon Footprint’ Eco Garden at a traditional summer fete last week at the Monks Lane campus. The College welcomed special guests Conrad Benefield from the Learning and Skills Improvement Service and Nigel Rayment, a research fellow at the International Research Institute in Sustainability, to formally open the area.
The garden has been shaped as a footprint and incorporates trees, vegetable and fruit plants in a bid to offset the College’s CO2 emissions. It will also provide habitats for wildlife and enhances the College landscape for everyone’s enjoyment. Local companies Keay Consulting and Action for Inclusion have sponsored old English apple trees to absorb approximately one tonne of carbon dioxide each.
The opening of the ‘carbon footprint’ project was the culmination of hard work and planning by Shaun Daubney, Student Communications Officer and Lynne Nutley, Course Organiser Foundation Learning. Shaun said, “We wanted to highlight the College’s commitment to the environment and sustainability by offsetting our own emissions. With the space we have available, it’s been great to offer companies the chance to also offset theirs, by sponsoring a tree.”
Lynne Nutley added, “This project will be particularly useful to the Foundation Learners, who will be able to help maintain the plants during horticulture lessons and also use the produce within their cookery sessions.”
The Summer Fete also included traditional games, such as welly wanging, a tug of war and skittles. Catering learners sold home-made cakes and ice-cream, beauty learners offered nail painting and make-up in the Salon, and staff were able to get involved in a tombola and traditional ‘best in show’ competition.
For more information about the courses at Newbury College or to arrange an appointment at the Street Beauty Salon, please call 01635 845000