Mansfield MP Ben Bradley ‘delighted’ with £1.3 million boost for West Notts College

This week, the Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, announced £200 million to repair and refurbish college buildings and campuses as part of the Government’s work to overhaul further education, levelling up skills and opportunities for more people across the country.

More than 180 colleges across England will receive a share of the money to repair and refurbish buildings and campuses - enabling them to continue serving the local communities.

West Nottinghamshire College will benefit from a cash boost of £1.3 million, which will be used to fund their new sixth-form centre at the Chesterfield Road site and develop a new venue for their award-winning restaurant at the Derby Road campus.

The cash boost is part of the £1.5 billion pledged by the Chancellor to transform further education over the next five years.

Ben Bradley MP said: “I’m delighted West Notts College will be receiving £1.3 million to support the local young people in my constituency.”

“I have been working hard with Andrew Cropley and the team at West Notts College to make sure we are at the forefront of education in Mansfield.

“We need our young people to have the best education and with this, they need a modern environment, I look forward to hearing more about the projects, but I am really optimistic that this funding will really benefit our young people.”

Each year the college provides education and training to some 14,000 full and part-time students, including 4,000 apprentices across all major industry sectors from entry to university-level.

In 2018, the college underwent a multi-million-pound redevelopment, which allowed for new buildings, facilities and opportunities for students to thrive in their education.

Now, the college are preparing new facilities for students aspiring to work in the health and care sector so that they can develop their skills.

Andrew Cropley, principal and chief executive of West Nottinghamshire College, said: “We are pleased the Government is making good on its pledge to support the further education sector as a major player in the nation’s recovery from Covid-19 and the drive to restore economic prosperity through investment in education and skills.

“This £1.3m from Government will help us deliver our new sixth-form centre at our Chesterfield Road site and develop a new venue for our award-winning restaurant at our Derby Road campus, both in Mansfield.

“We are also working-up plans to provide new opportunities for adults to re-skill and ensure that those aspiring to work in the health and care sector can practise their skills in a realistic and modern environment.

He added: “The college is fortunate to have high-quality buildings through significant capital investment in recent years and this additional funding will enable us to further develop our estate to ensure our campuses remain inspirational places to learn for generations to come.”