Training & Development
120 years Myerscough and counting
College
May saw the 120th anniversary of Myerscough College. On May 14th 1894, the first students of what was then known as the Lancashire County Institute of Agriculture came through the doors.
Myerscough College has been based at its main site in Bilsborrow, near Preston, since 1969. But the college’s beginnings date back to the 19th Century and, specifically, the start of the 1890s, around four years before it had its first intake of students.
In 1890, the newly formed Lancashire County Council (founded in 1888 as part of the Local Government Act) set up a sub- committee, with the remit of making grants available to help local Agriculture.
Few could have imagined that 120 years later the college would be world renowned for its education and training, particularly within the Sportsturf sector, where many ex-learners have gone on to secure top jobs within the industry at sporting venues around the globe. There are too many to mention but all share the same value base and enthusiasm for the sector that the college holds at its very core.
Aerial view in 1969
Peter Caney, Assistant Principal Skills and Development reflects on the values the college holds at its very heart, and the reasons behind its continued success, saying; “The College is a special place. Opportunities for all to succeed are at the core of our value base. We treat each and every student with respect and assist him or her to be the best that they can be. Our links with industry are plain for all to see, and we are constantly evolving which I do believe is one of the reasons for our continued success. The reach of the college is remarkable and we are really proud to be celebrating our 120 year anniversary.”
We recently caught up with a few ex- Myerscough College learners who reflected on their times at college and also their career choices in general.
Initially, we caught up with Dale Frith, Head Groundsman at newly promoted Fleetwood Town Football Club. Dale graduated from Myerscough College in 2003 after completing the 3-year BSc (Hons) programme in Sportsturf Science. Since then, he has worked at Ealing Lawn Tennis Club, The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club (Wimbledon), The STRI, Blackburn Rovers FC and now heads up the grounds team at Fleetwood Town FC. The team consists wholly of past and present Myerscough College learners and apprentices.
Dale has won many plaudits within the industry, maintaining the superb quality playing surfaces at the club’s Highbury stadium along with managing the training pitches based at Fylde RFC. Dale has recently been awarded the Sky Bet League 2 Groundsman of the Year Award for 2013-14 in recognition of the high standards he consistently achieves.
Dale explains his career history, what he thinks Myerscough College has contributed, and what he thinks young people seeking a career within Groundsmanship need;
Preston Campus from the air 2014 138 I PC JUNE/JULY 2014
“I researched my course of study extensively and chose what I believed to
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