Town Mayor opens The Henley College’s new Mac Suite

The Town Mayor of Henley-on-Thames, Glen Lambert, attended The Henley College yesterday for the official opening of its brand new Apple Mac suite. The new facilities were funded by a generous donation from the Tony Lane Foundation. Tony Lane was a former Mayor of Henley and each year his estate gives a sum of money for the community of Henley on Thames. This year, The Henley College is delighted to have received a donation for the benefit of its students.

The Tony Lane Suite is equipped with the latest Apple Mac technology that will enable our students to gain the latest digital skills and help them to succeed in their future careers.

Creative Media students were one of the first groups invited to try out the new equipment. Second year student, Isobel Gunderson, who came to the College from Langtree School, is planning to take a gap year and gain some work experience including, hopefully, some charity work in Mozambique. Next year she hopes to go to Bristol University, once she’s built up her portfolio of work. Isobel said of the opening: “It’s a great opportunity to grow my knowledge in editing and using other types of computers. For me this bridges the gap between home (where I have a Mac) and college work. I envisage working on Macs in my future career, as my whole family uses Apple devices and with Apple ID you can connect them all up. It’s fab that the College now has this resource. “

Former Wycombe High School student, Grace David, is hoping to go to Gloucestershire University in September to study film production. She said: “It’s so great that the College has this new Apple Mac suite. I really love working on Macs; I did work experience with Freemantle Media, a production company that does a lot of work for the BBC and they used a mixture of Macs and PCs. So it’s great news for the College and the College’s students that we now have these Macs to learn on too.”

Student Jemimah Newman-Smith is planning to go to Liverpool John Moores University to study creative media. Jemima said: “I want to work in cinematography in the future, it’s really cool that there is a Mac suite at the College now. I have a Mac at home and I find them easier to navigate; we’ve always had a Mac in the family. I think it’s particularly important in the creative media industry as a lot of jobs require you to be able to use them and certainly at university you are expected to use Macs.”

The ribbon cutting ceremony was conducted by the current Town Mayor, Glen Lambert, with Councillor Lorraine Hillier in attendance, along with staff and creative students.

Glen Lambert said: ““In this day and age, it is increasingly important for our young software engineers and computing graduates to be skilled on multiple platforms. When I began my career, Microsoft Windows or MSDOS was installed on virtually all computers you came into contact with in business.

This is not the case in 2019, most machines that make up the Internet run Linux or other Unix-like operating systems. Apple hardware is also becoming more and more commonplace and with Apple OSX also being Unix-like, Apple computers provide an excellent platform on which to learn the skills needed in the modern world.

I think it is excellent to see The Henley College equipped to provide students with the foundation in computing technology that employers will be looking for when they enter the workplace.”

Sharing memories of the late Tony Lane, Councillor Lorraine Hillier said, “I first met Tony Lane in 1998 when I was complaining about the lack of car parking in the town! I was prodding the desk as I spoke and he said I should stand for Council.

Tony was passionate about Henley – he had a cobblers in Singers Lane. I think more residents visited him there for help and advice than shoe repairs! He used to say it was his ‘Councillor surgery’.”

The College has also received a contribution towards entrepreneurial activities in the community, with an event soon to come in Henley Town Hall.

Satwant Deol, Principal and CEO of the College commented: “We are so grateful to the Tony Lane Foundation for this donation. It is incredibly generous and will provide students with the facilities that they need to succeed in the competitive creative media industry.

The forthcoming entrepreneurial activities in the Town Hall in Henley will help to enhance the student experience and offer them the chance to get involved in the community. It is an amazing legacy that will have a very positive effect in Henley-on-Thames.”

Prospective students and their parents can view the new facilities by visiting the College during its Information Evening next Tuesday 30^th April from 5.30 – 8pm.