royal visit Delight for college

The heavens opened just as the Princess Royal arrived in a black Range Rover but the rain failed to put a dampener on what was a truly special day for the college.

Sporting a cream jacket complete with London 2012 brooch, navy scarf and navy pleated skirt, Princess Anne was greeted on her arrival by Mayor of Melton John Illingworth, Melton Council’s chief executive Lynn Aisbett, the college’s chairman of governors David Irving and cadet warrant officer Alex Taylor.

The Princess was then introduced to the college’s principal Chris Ball, equine centre manager Jayne Fytche and programme team manager for equine and sport Petra Williams before meeting the equine apprentices and the horses in the courtyard area.

The Princess Royal spent time chatting to the students before making her way to the new stables area.

The Princess had been due to watch a showjumping display in the indoor riding school but this part of her visit had to be cancelled after the building was ravaged by last week’s freak storm.

One of the lucky students who met the Princess was Laura Green (19), of Asfordby. She said: “I was a bit nervous but excited to meet her. I felt very privileged because I’ll probably never get the chance to meet her again.”

Another who met the Princess was equine apprentice Emma O’Neill (25).

She said: “It was an honour to meet her. It was nice that she came to the equine yard. With all her links with the equine world it was something she could relate to.”

Much credit goes to college staff who worked tirelessly to tidy up damaged areas of the storm-battered campus for the royal visit.

Before breaking for lunch for Princess met the team which built the purpose built animal and equine centre - the Derby-based Radleigh Group supported by Armsons of Derby.

After lunch the Princess was taken on a tour of the state-of-the-art centre which opened to students last September.

The Princess watched students demonstrate their life-saving skills on a dummy dog in the dog resuscitation area and practice skills in the bandaging centre.

She then moved on into the reptile and exotic area to meet some of the animals and the students who care for them.

Towards the end of her visit the Princess formally unveiled a plaque to officially open the centre and signed the visitors’ book.

College principal Chris Ball said: “The whole college was delighted and enormously proud that the Princess came here to officially open the new centre, particularly in light of what we’ve had to cope with during the last week.”

With increased demand for its courses, the college invested in the new purpose-built animal and equine centre which opened last year.

As well as providing improved teaching and learning facilities, the centre also houses a greater range and variety of animals for students to work with and prepare them for their future careers.