The pick of the litter!

The student-led Newquay Environmental Group have been giving back to their community by doing a litter pick along Wildflower Lane! 

Here’s student Cameron Rougvie to explain more:

"This was decided due to the amount of litter along the lane that posed a threat to local wildlife that live within the surrounding habitat, a small team of dedicated students split into three groups of two and set about dividing the lane into three segments to clear of litter each.

A number of interesting items were found along the pick, including glass bottles, shards of glass, microplastics, plastic bags and still full cans of beer, all of these items can cause serious health problems of fatality to species within the habitat.

Many members of the public stopped to enquire into what we were doing, a pair of older women stopped and asked "well done for doing this, the community needs people like you to help where others cause harm like this", others simply gave their thanks, one of which said "well done for helping the community" as she rode past on her bicycle.



All members of the public that stopped to enquire about the litter pick were informed about Cornwall College's support and the growing community awareness in the youth both in the college and out.


A total number of 7 full bags of litter, a trampoline pole, a traffic cone base and a skateboard were recovered in the end, all of which were disposed of safely at Cornwall College Newquay.

We are hoping to conduct litter picks in the future and we invite anyone who wants to help the local community along!"

Show your support for Newquay Environmental Group by getting involved, click HERE

Jump on board!

As Cornwall is the centre of surfing within the UK, Cornwall College is lucky enough to have links with some of the top names from the industry. 

Professional surfer Ben Skinner is sharing the talent and resources at his Newquay-based company SkinDog Surfboards, with our degree students, giving them a unique opportunity to get the hands on experience of building a custom board.

                                         

Working in partnership with Cornwall College, SkinDog has been helping students from the foundation degree in Surf Science & Technology to design, shape, paint and finish their own custom surfboards as part of a module on their specialist foundation degree programme.  

 Ben Skinner, who is currently fifth in the world Longboard rankings, explains: “My relationship evolved with Cornwall College through a good friend of mine Ciaran Mcqueen. We are really excited about doing the course and it’s something that we all find interesting; teaching and passing on the knowledge that we’ve learnt along the way. It’s been a great process building our factory and being able to offer our services to Cornwall College and give the students the experience of getting hands-on and having a custom board built is great.”

Student Ben Sherratt working on his own board design with Ben Skinner at the SkinDog factory

Few students in the world can boast they are learning directly from Ben Skinner and his team of industry leading professionals, which includes Ben’s business partner Jason Gray, expert sander and former British Surfing champion Shaun Skilton and sprayer Jesús González Verdi from Spain.

Student Ben Sherratt moved down from Exeter to study the Surf Science & Technology course at Cornwall College Newquay. Ben has been working with the SkinDog team to create his own asymmetrical surfboard. Check out what Ben has to say about the Surf Science course in the video below:

Programme Manager Brender Willmott explained the distinctive appeal of the FdSc Surf Science & Technology: “I am so happy to be managing a course that is not only educational but inspirational and that offers a rare opportunity to study at degree level, a sport and industry that is growing so rapidly.  It offers unique chances to design and build a board with world class athletes and shapers, to work with national level competitive organisations and sponsors, experience an overseas trip to explore environmental aspects and business opportunities, at the same time as gaining a recognised degree qualification studied primarily on or close to Newquay beaches.  What more could you want- it’s a unique opportunity to submerge yourself in the culture of the sport and gain knowledge and experience that will equip you to gain employment in any number of aspects of the sport you love.”

Student Greg Sowa with his own board design that he produced at SkinDog Surfboards

For more info on studying the Surf Science & Technology please Click HERE