Moulton College has received 150 high-visibility vests through a partnership between two Northamptonshire businesses, aimed at improving safety for land-based students during practical training.
The donation, led by Wellingborough-based vegetation management firm VMS Ltd and Northampton-based BACA Workwear & Safety, will see students equipped with high-visibility clothing while working around machinery and in outdoor training environments.
The initiative builds on a long-standing relationship between the two companies, which have worked together for more than a decade, and reflects closer engagement with the college as it prepares students for careers in higher-risk sectors such as agriculture and arboriculture.
Kev Garfield, head of business support at VMS Ltd, who recently became Moulton College’s first business ambassador, said: “We are delighted to be able to continue our support to Moulton College and its students with this donation. Safety is at the heart of everything we do and providing high-visibility vests is a simple but meaningful way to help students stay safe while they learn and gain valuable hands-on experience.”
Kev’s ambassadorial role includes supporting college events and working with students to promote careers in arboriculture, as part of wider efforts to address skills shortages in the sector.
Patrick Spooner, head of operations at BACA Workwear & Safety, said the proximity of the business to the college had encouraged its involvement. “Moulton College is integral to the area and do a lot of good for the community. They are also literally just down the road from us, so we really wanted to support them by printing and providing the high visibility vests,” he said. “We have worked alongside Kev and VMS for over ten years now so it’s great to partner up to support Moulton College students.”
Polly Greco, head of land-based and equine at Moulton College, said the equipment would support efforts to embed safe working practices early in students’ training. “Safety in land-based and agriculture is something I am passionate about, and with our students entering some of the most high-risk industries, we have a responsibility to embed safe working practices from day one,” she said. “Thank you VMS and BACA for helping us champion such an important cause, a meaningful difference in helping us equip the next generation with the skills and mindset needed to work safely.”
Students will use the vests during on-site training and practical sessions, particularly where visibility is critical to maintaining safe working conditions.
Image: Moulton College students with Polly Greco (centre), Patrick Spooner of BACA Workwear & Safety (left) and Kev Garfield of VMS Ltd (right) after the donation of 150 high-visibility vests
