Walford Welcomes Past Student as Present Manager

Walford and North Shropshire College is delighted to announce the appointment of Neil Ridgway as Farm Manager.

Neil first came to the Walford Campus, as a student, in autumn 1998. After completing a one year, day-release, NVQ Level 2 Apprenticeship course in Agriculture with Walford Training, he went on to study the three year National Diploma in Agriculture, as had his father before him. He was a very well liked student who showed a real flair for dairy management, tutors remember him as both hard working and fun loving.

Neil spent the middle year of his National Diploma course working in New Zealand, and during the third year of his course he was President of the Walford Student Association helping to organise functions and entertainment for the students and acting as their representative on College committees. He was also named Student of the Year for two of the three years he was on this course.

Prior to joining the College as Farm Manger Neil spent over seven years as Herd Manager of the respected Blodwell pedigree Jersey herd, based at Blodwell Hall, Porth-Y-Waen, Oswestry.

Walford farm is run as a fully commercial unit and is required to generate a profit, whilst also providing invaluable learning opportunities to all the students based at the Walford Campus. The College farms 270 hectares; it has 200 dairy cows, 400 ewes 110 hectares of crops, 20 hectares of woodland and other wildlife areas and runs an anaerobic digester generating electricity from cow slurry.

Jon Parry, Director of Walford, said Walford Farm manager is a key role at the College, and we are really proud that an ex student has beaten some stiff competition to secure this job. Neil will join a tight knit team of farm staff, including herdsman Mike Lutman who is also an ex Walford student and who was a classmate of Neils father when they were both studying for the National Diploma. The farm staff work very closely with the College lecturers to ensure all students have the chance to develop practical skills and observe first hand how a modern commercial farm is run.

Neil says Working as the Walford Farm Manager is a dream come true, Walford and North Shropshire College helped start my career and develop my passion for farming. My ambition is to continually improve the profitability of the farm and raise its profile as a centre of farming excellence

For more information about courses at Walford and North Shropshire College please visit our website at www.wnsc.ac.uk or telephone 01939 262100

Walford and North Shropshire College is a tertiary College with campuses located across rural Shropshire including Oswestry, Walford, Shipley, Burford and Wem

The Walford campus is home to the respected land-based provision, where students can study a range of courses including Agriculture, Countryside Management, Animal care or Equine.