Students try activities like dog grooming at Pulborough land-based college

More than 80 young people in the area attended Brinsbury College, near Pulborough, to take part in taster sessions.

The sessions included courses as varied as dog grooming, agriculture, equine, blacksmithing, landscape gardening, tree surgery and animal care.

The students were involved with assisting with calves who were being vaccinated, grooming horses, cleaning out the homes of rabbits and guinea pigs, and feeding goats, alpacas, donkeys, sheep, ducks, geese and chickens.

Sally Challis-Manning, principal at Brinsbury College, said: “Choosing the right course is really important, which is why our taster days are so valuable - not only do they show potential students what we offer here at Brinsbury, they also inform young people about the wide range of careers in land-based industries.

“They give young people an opportunity to get hands on experience in subjects they wouldn’t ordinarily have access to until they start college, so they have an idea of what to expect and if it would suit them.

“And by spending time on campus, with our staff, they can find out more about what college life involves and the career paths that these courses can lead to.

“It was fantastic to see so many pupils come in to experience what we have to offer here at the college and to receive so much positive feedback.

“We’re looking forward to seeing them back at Brinsbury in the future.”

Brinsbury College is part of the Chichester College group.