College welcomes MSP Mairi Gougeon to historic Riddell Estate

@BordersCollege recently welcomed MSP Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, to Riddell Estate to meet with staff, students and local businesses connected to the Scottish Borders rural industry.

The event was a showcase of all the connections and work going on between the College, Riddell Estate and employers and communities, with local businesses also enjoying the networking opportunities.

The Minister chatted with various attendees and was given a tour of the historic estate, where she chatted with students about their studies and aspirations within the industry.

Demonstrations of the equipment used on the estate were showcased and Ms Gougeon was keen to get involved, riding one of the buggies around a track set out by the College’s Rural team, with some considerable driving skills on show from the Minister.

Borders College Principal Angela Cox, who attended the event, commented:

“As the top-performing college for land-based skills in Scotland, I am incredibly proud of the positive impact we have in the Scottish Borders and beyond in providing life-changing learning opportunities and business support in this sector.

“We achieve this through working with a range of fantastic industry partners who enable us to provide applied and innovative learning opportunities. I am delighted that the Cabinet Secretary was able to experience this first-hand.”     

Among the attendees were representatives from The Woll Estate, LANTRA, SOSE, SoS Destination Alliance, Stable Life and Selkirk High School, all great ambassadors within the rural sector.

Mairi Gougeon has served as Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands since 2021. A member of the SNP, she has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Angus North and Mearns since 2016.

Ms Gougeon commented on her visit, saying:

“It was great to have the opportunity to visit Borders College and to see first-hand the work that’s being undertaken to build fruitful relationships between the college, rural estates, businesses and rural employers. 

“This collaborative approach will enhance training and employment opportunities for students in our land-based sectors, and will contribute to a highly skilled workforce for Scotland.”