Capel Manor College Supports Local Community During COVID-19
As our worlds shrink to walking distance and we all stay at home to help save lives, we stand proud of our College students and staff who are supporting the wider community during these testing times.
It has been over a month since the lockdown was announced and social distancing became the new norm. Everyone around the world has had to adjust to new ways of working very quickly.
For Capel Manor College, this meant closing our doors to students and embracing technology to continue delivering practical learning experiences online. It also meant overcoming a particular challenge that comes part and parcel of being a land-based college – the ongoing maintenance of our plants, gardens, and animals.
In true Capel Manor College style, we adapted to the challenge with great optimism and we continue to preserve our learning environments in line with safety guidelines. We are most proud of our students and staff who have been resilient in the face of change and used their initiative to support not just each other, but also our local communities around our six campuses across London.
Principal, Malcolm Goodwin, says “It is that sense of team, of everyone playing their part, contributing what they can, together, that makes me feel so proud to be part of Capel. Whether they are frontline with students, frontline maintaining resources, frontline with customers, or frankly frontline with a spreadsheet, it all counts.”
Farm food heroes keep our food supply intact
College staff and volunteers who run Forty Hall Farm continue their work to help feed the local community in Enfield. Luckily the Farm is large enough for them to work at a safe distance, ensuring that our supply of fresh fruit and veg remain intact throughout the lockdown.
Although the Farm itself is closed to the public, the Farm Shop remains open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11am to 4pm; serving fresh organic fruit and vegetables as well as organically reared meat. They also continue to operate their weekly Enfield Veg Co. veg bag scheme, which is currently at full capacity.
Flower donations lift spirits in care homes and hospitals
Our Libraries Coordinator Marion Bertuzzo, and Gardens Manager Julie Dowbiggin, donated some beautifully arranged cut flowers and pot plants to the St Ives Care Home. This came as a big boost to residents as they have been unable to get out and enjoy local gardens in recent times.
In addition, Julie donated flowers from our Walled Garden to a mental health unit at Whittington Hospital in North London, which again was greatly welcomed by the staff that work there.
Daily poems deliver daily smiles
Other members of Capel Manor College look forward to receiving their daily dose of poetry from fellow staff member Camelia Smith; she writes and shares poems with colleagues to help put a smile on their faces. Camelia also shares these poems with the National Health Service (NHS), who feature them on a website for key workers to enjoy.
We continue to accept new applications for September 2020
If the coronavirus has put a question mark in your head about your future, do not panic. Despite our usual Advice Evenings and Open Days being put on hold, we are still here to offer advice and guide you on to a career path that suits your needs.
We are also still accepting and processing new applications for students who wish to start their journey with us in September 2020.
To find out more, head over to How to Apply.
From Capel Manor College to you: be strong, stay safe, and keep talking. We are here if you have any questions.
