Celebrity botanist backs Reaseheath’s inspirational teaching

The important work which Reaseheath College does to inspire all students, from primary schoolchildren to adults, by teaching them about the natural world was spelled out by internationally acclaimed botanist and natural historian David Bellamy OBE on Wednesday.

The global environmental campaigner and television personality was at the Nantwich college to dedicate a commemorative stone on a £3 million animal management training centre which will be completed later this summer. The new building will include specialist rooms for reptiles, amphibians and fish, accommodation for domestic animals, teaching and meeting rooms and an impressive entrance to the college’s zoo.

It is the second phase of a major refurbishment which has already provided the department with a £1.5 million dog grooming parlour, laboratories and training facilities.

After touring the college’s animal centre, which caters for 800 students, houses over 1,000 animals and has a zoo licence, David Bellamy said: “Reaseheath really has the ‘wow’ factor. It is a wonderful place. You couldn’t find any better college to be a student.

“It’s very important that we do all we can to preserve every species of plant and animal because we are losing them at an alarming rate. Reaseheath is doing brilliant work to ensure people of all ages understand how important it is to look after the planet. I would urge other educational establishments to follow this college’s lead.

“We live in a wonderful world and if we look after it with commonsense it will look after us for a long time.”

Principal Meredydd David told assembled guests, governors and staff that the current investment would give the animal centre the best resources of any educational institution in the UK. The centre had a national reputation for the quality of education and training it provided across all levels, from pre-entry to honours degrees, and it had 40 specialist staff.

The centre had grown to meet the training requirements of industry and also reflected the public’s increasing interest in animals and natural sciences.

David Bellamy went on to plant an unusual Wollemi pine in the college grounds. Discovered in Australia just 16 years ago and previously unknown to science, the tree was selected to commemorate his work in helping to preserve rare species.

Earlier he had met up with 30 pupils from the reception class of St. Anne’s Catholic Primary School, Nantwich, who had been enjoying a day on campus looking at plants and animals. To illustrate how a caterpillar walks, David, 77, joined the children on his hands and knees and then answered a barrage of questions.

Later in the day he gave an illustrated lecture to over 300 staff, students and visitors in a marquee on the college lawn.