A new college principal has expressed pride and delight after a bumper week for accolades in March - and an honour which means he will help shape land-based education.
Alan Pease of Suffolk New College - who has been in post for 10 months - visited Downing Street and joined the board of Landex, an organisation for colleges specialising in land-based studies, during one week in March.
The college - which has campuses in Ipswich, Otley, Leiston and Halesworth - also scooped a national award for sustainable development.
Suffolk New College is one of the largest educational establishments in the region and has a land-based studies arm called Suffolk Rural which is based at Otley.
It won the Inenco Award for Education in the sustainable development category at the annual Association of Colleges (AoC) Beacon Awards - which are dubbed the further education sector's "oscars".
Following the accolade, Mr Pease was one of a small number of college chief executives invited to a meeting in Downing Street hosted by Lord Lingfield, Chairman of the Council for the Chartered Institute for Further Education (FE).
The reception celebrated efforts by the further education sector to combat skills shortages in the UK.
“There was an enormous sense of pride that I was invited to this event and promote the interests of Suffolk New College during such a prestigious forum," said Mr Pease.
“There are 30 colleges in the Eastern Region and I was one of only four to be invited from this part of the world – so it was a tremendous privilege and it helps reinforce that the college is doing something right if you we are given the chance to talk at occasions like this."
He added: “On the way in, we walked up the stairs passed all of the photos of previous prime ministers so you really felt the historical significance of the building. It was quite overwhelming.”
After his visit to London, Mr Pease attended the annual Landex conference in Northamptonshire and was voted onto its board.
Landex is a membership organisation which supports the 36 land-based colleges and universities across the UK.
“I was elected as a national director for Landex and I’m now on their board," he said.
"It’s a massive forum of importance where I get to help shape the future direction of the largest land-based educational organisations in the country and I’m delighted to be given this honour."
At the same event college governor Stevie Sheppard - a former student who now works for Jimmy’s Farm - offered the gala address.
Two of the college's senior staff Marianne Flack and Lynsey Wilson gave talks and hosted sessions at the conference and Minister for Skills Robert Halfon MP referenced his recent visit to the college.
“It has been a phenomenal week and this has topped off a brilliant start to the year. All of this recognition is a testament to the hard work of everyone associated with Suffolk New College,” said Mr Pease.
Director of business development at the college Emma Taylor represented the college at the AoC Beacon Awards which took place in Westminster.
“The judges said that we were the first college to win an award at the first time of trying in five years and were really impressed with the way sustainability was embedded at all levels of college life,” she said.
“It was brilliant news for the whole college to win this and I’d like to thank all of our students and staff who have played a part in helping us secure this national accolade.”
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