ILS students at Gower College Swansea have enjoyed an exclusive opportunity to get involved at a new community based project in Ilston on the Gower.

Cae Tan is a community supported agriculture (CSA) initiative which aims to reinvigorate local sustainable food networks by rebuilding the relationships between consumer, farmer and land.

Students on the STTEP programme are taking part in green woodwork sessions and experiencing skills such as splitting oak, small animal care, fire lighting and beekeeping.

The achievements of Gower College Swansea’s Independent Living Skills (ILS) students have been recognised at a special celebratory buffet.

Throughout the year, ILS students are placed on work experience with local employers and within college departments such as caretaking and finance. Representatives at the buffet included employers from the Dragon Hotel, Evening Post, Grape & Olive, Radio Tircoed, Remploy, Rose Garden Day Nursery, Sainsbury’s and Swansea University.

Two students from the Independent Living Skills (ILS) department at Gower College Swansea amazed judges with their cookery skills at Bridgend College when six finalists battled for victory at the World Skills All-Wales Final. They were required to prepare, cook and present two plates of Mediterranean salad to judges as part of the Independent Cooking Competition.

Gareth Williams (pictured on the right) was awarded Gold for his butterfly inspired salad, while Adam Humphreys gained Bronze for his platter, which resembled a flower.

A group of students from the Tycoch campus of Gower College Swansea are involved in a project at the Swansea Community Farm at Cadle. Those taking part are all students with additional needs, aged between 16 and 18, who are on the first year of the Work Preparation course. They will be visiting the farm once a week for 10 weeks in order to learn more about where the food on the supermarket shelves comes from and how it is produced. It will also help them with numeracy and literacy skills.