Sir Edward Leigh, the Conservative Member of Parliament, opened Riseholme College’s new campus at Lincolnshire Showground in the middle of his Gainsborough constituency on Friday, 20th November 2015.

Riseholme, a part of Bishop Burton College, has invested over £13 million on the new facilities which will work alongside the existing Riseholme campus to provide specialist land-based education in the East Midlands.

“Lincolnshire is the premier agricultural county of England,” the MP of thirty years’ experience in the Commons said. “Eighty-five per cent of the East Midland’s output is driven by agriculture and its allied industries, and this is a key sector for the whole country.”

“Riseholme has been at the centre of agricultural life here in the county for over sixty years,” Sir Edward continued. “I’m privileged to be here to open this new campus – the first new agricultural college campus to be built in over half a century – and I know Riseholme College will continue in its role at the centre of agricultural education in the East Midlands.”

The MP was joined College Principal Jeanette Dawson OBE, as well as a number of local dignitaries including Mrs Henrietta Reeves, the Deputy Lieutenant of Lincolnshire; Air Vice Marshal Gavin Mackay CB OBE, the High Sherriff of Lincolnshire; and Cllr Angela Lawrence, the Chairman of West Lindsey District Council.

In recent years, Riseholme has built partnerships with some of the biggest players in the agricultural industry, including Agrii, Asda, ABP, Dunbia, and Cranswick Foods. Students at the college will be given exclusive access to leading experts as part of their studies as well as working with industry specialist on applied research projects. Work on the second phase of Riseholme’s Showground campus continues.