Coronavirus
Updates: Colleges & Business Units | Commercial Outlets and Nurseries
Advice for: Students, Parents and Carers | College Applicants | Apprentices
Updates: Colleges & Business Units | Commercial Outlets and Nurseries
Advice for: Students, Parents and Carers | College Applicants | Apprentices
Family fun came to Canterbury, with more than 1,000 people getting the opportunity to meet new furry friends and find out about sustainable farming practices.
The Spring Lane at Canterbury College campus threw open its doors to the community it serves on Saturday, May 21, inviting them in to experience the natural world at the annual Spring Fest event. Due to the pandemic, this was the first time the site had been able to welcome in members of the public since it joined EKC Group.
Face painting, animal encounter sessions, and live performances from Music students, were popular highlights of the day, which saw people of all ages taking the opportunity to learn more about the natural world and the work that takes place at the campus.
In all, £424 was raised through a wildlife trail, the sale of plants and the facepainting with all proceeds being donated to Kyiv Zoo.
One parent who visited, Melissa Osbourn, said: “It’s been fantastic - we went to the reptile talk and the knowledge that the staff and students had was amazing!
“The staff have been so welcoming and it’s really nice to see how involved the students are in looking after all the animals.”
Her daughter said that her highlight of the day was getting to hold a guinea pig; just one of the numerous animal encounters that took place on the day, alongside talks about the on-site wallabies, bugs and goats.
One of the students who helped make the day such a success was Roberta Cashman, who is currently nearing the end of her Level 3 Animal Management Extended Diploma.
She said: “It’s really nice to see members of the public coming in, enjoying themselves and getting to see what we do here. I also think it’s been great for the animals to see so many different faces, especially those that love a lot of attention!”.
Due to the overwhelming success of the event, it is hoped Spring Fest will continue to welcome the local community every year.
Assistant Principal of Canterbury College, Jessica Berry, said: “The turnout was absolutely fantastic and it was great to see the Spring Lane campus being at the heart of the community.
“Spring Fest is a brilliant opportunity to show people what goes on here, and also to get young people inspired about the world around them. Judging by the smiling faces throughout the day, we definitely achieved that, so it’s been a great success!”
Find out more information about our courses at Spring Lane here.
