Ayrshire College in Belleisle Park
As we near the 5th anniversary of our students working in the park, Head of Learning & Skills, Cameron Bell, reflects on what continues to be a great partnership with South Ayrshire Council, which gives our students learning opportunities on live projects in a historic and beautiful environment.
"It all started on the 21st of July 2017, when I had a meeting with Fiona Ross, South Ayrshire Council's Environment Strategy Officer. Fiona had a plan to retain heritage features of the park, one of which was repairs and re-pointing the wall of the walled garden, a Listed structure. Fiona's vision was for a hands-on training project, like the projects that Ayrshire College had been involved with at Culzean and Dumfries House.
"As it was such a fantastic opportunity for Ayrshire College students to take part in repointing such a prestigious structure, we created a full-time course around this.
"One stumbling block was that to gain an appropriate qualification in this area, the students had to attend residential courses at the Scottish Lime Centre Trust in Fife.
"The additional funding that this required was generously given by Morrison Construction, main contractor for the Ayr Grammar School project, through their community benefits funding.
"The first cohort started in the park in January 2018.
"Nearly 5 years on we continue to have masonry repair groups in the park who have completed work on different areas of the walled garden, rebuilding brick raised beds and relaying paths and paving.
"The partnership with Ayrshire College, South Ayrshire Council and Morrison Construction led to being finalists in two national awards for “Employer Connections” for the work done with the students restoring this fantastic 18th Century Walled Garden.
"More importantly, the partnership has led to real jobs for many of our students through this incredible experience. Also, the legacy that this real live project has allowed them, when they bring their children or grandchildren - they can point to the wall and say - "See that - I did that!"
Other College projects…
"Over the past few weeks, you may have seen Ayrshire College staff and students in the enclosure here.
"The enclosure is home to Herdwick Sheep, a breed saved from extinction by Beatrix Potter, sheep who live normally in the tough climate of the Lake District on exposed high fells, facing rain, wind and deep snow.
"In addition to the "Herdys" the enclosure is home to a number of Fallow Deer, who thrive and have bred here - with their gorgeous spots they are reminiscent of "Bambi!"
"While the enclosure and the trees provide shelter for the animals, SAC provided a structure which allowed them somewhere they can be given additional feeding and a place of hard-standing for regular health checks, also somewhere to congregate in the event that they wished to seek additional shelter. Unfortunately, the previous structure succumbed to a tree falling during a storm last winter.
"At the start of the College year in September, we met with the Park team and agreed to rebuild the structure with one of our pre-apprentice carpentry & joinery groups at Ayr Campus. After initial site measurement, lecturing staff have led the students in designing, drawing to scale, calculating material quantities, ordering materials and making the frames for the structure. Students have also learned about the social and environmental aspects of the project and all about the animal breeds in their Essential Skills classes."
"Last week we prepared the area and fixed a base rail which is shaped to compliment discrepancies in the existing concrete. This is now ready for frame erection.
"On completion of the frame construction on-campus , SAC have agreed to transport them to site for us next week, where they will be erected by our students who will then finish the sides with timber cladding, fixed in-situ.
"We'll then cover the top of the structure with a tarpaulin as a temporary measure, as we await the roof sheeting.
"The sheets are a bespoke order and may take another two to three weeks.
"We plan to have the roof completed by 16th December.
"We are very grateful to South Ayrshire Council for allowing us to undertake this project, which provides a very valuable learning experience for our pre-apprenticeship students."
Cameron Bell FCIOB CEnv MEI is Head of Learning and Skills for Construction Technology, Trades, Land and Renewable Energy at Ayrshire College.