Arriva Trains Wales | AWAY DAY IN THE BAY FOR HORTICULTURAL STUDENTS

AWAY DAY IN THE BAY FOR HORTICULTURAL STUDENTS

A group of first and second year students from Holme Lacy College near Hereford have enjoyed a special day out by train courtesy of Arriva Trains Wales.

Holme Lacy Students The students aged 16 to 18 years were given the opportunity to visit the tourist attractions of Cardiff Bay as a reward for looking after the station gardens at Hereford railway station.

Holme Lacy College is situated in the Wye Valley and provides its students with specialist training facilities including an equine centre, animal care unit, timber yard, specialist workshops, IT suite and Learning Resource Centre. The college comprises a mixed organic farm, which has its own pedigree herd of Hereford cattle, commercial woodlands, ancient woodlands, traditional parkland, ponds and streams.

The flower beds at Hereford railway station have been cared for by students from the college for the last six years. Once a week, the students visit the station for two and a half hours to tend the flowers and shrubs, remove weeds and ensure the beds look in the best possible condition.

Hugh Wisdom, course tutor at the College, said: “Caring for the flower beds gives the students valuable work experience in a working environment. In addition to their coursework, this practical activity offers them a good grounding in basic skills and an excellent opportunity to be creative within their own community. At the end of their course, many will aim to find employment where the skills learned will be put to good use.”

Stewart Keay, station manager for Arriva Trains Wales, said: “We were delighted to offer the students a trip to Cardiff Bay as a reward for all their hard work at the station. For many passengers, the station is their first impression of the town therefore it’s important that it looks its best."