‘The thing that makes the Gelli Aur most successful is the people’
Gelli Aur (Coleg Sir Gar/Carmarthenshire College)
I am 18 and currently a second year student at Coleg Sir Gar, studying for a level three Extended Diploma in Agriculture at Gelli Aur Campus.
The college farm is located in the Towy Valley in the heart of Carmarthenshire and offers a range of agricultural and land based courses for all abilities and attracts students from a radius of well over 65 miles.
So what makes Gelli Aur so special? I don’t think there is one particular thing that makes the college what it is; it is down to many reasons. The location of the college itself is one thing, located in the fertile basin of the Towy Valley surrounded by stunning woodland and an overall breathtaking landscape make travelling to college everyday a pleasure. Also the availability of having two herds of cows on site as well as bull beef cattle and a small flock of sheep aid the courses, as hands on experience is always available for even the most inexperienced of students.
But in my opinion the thing that makes the Gelli Aur most successful is the people. The students’ willingness to learn and lecturers years of experience come together to achieve great things and every year students go on to university at Aberystwyth, and Harper Adams after gaining their qualifications at the college.
There is a slightly relaxed, family atmosphere at the college where everyone feels a part of the action, where there is always time for a debate about farming issues, and definitely the chance to have kick about with the rugby ball every now and again!
There are of course many more things that make the experience at a Gelli Aur a memorable one, but the one thing that will stand out the most are the friends that are made along the way. Friends that you will keep for the rest of your life!”
writes Alex Robinson
Carmarthenshire review