Capel Manor students and staff were praised by London Mayor Boris Johnson when he joined more than four hundred new students and apprentices on the first day of their land-based courses at the north London college, for making London "one of the greenest big cities in the world".
Johnson opened a new £500,000 animal centre – phase one of a £4 million upgrade to animal care teaching facilities.
As he toured the College Johnson talked to trainee florists, witnessed arboriculture students tree climbing, met horticultural apprentices in a former Chelsea Flower Show Gold medal winning garden; and received a hand-made leather belt, made for him by saddlery and leather craft students.
He also visited Capel Manor’s food production unit at local Forty Hall Farm – a community market garden, orchard and vineyard. Here the Mayor met staff and students working to demonstrate how Londoners can engage to deliver his food strategy, by gaining skills and becoming involved in opportunities to maximise local food production.
He said: "It was great to see the green-fingered students at work – it’s places like this that help to make London one of the greenest big cities in the world.
"I encourage Londoners to come and see this bit of countryside in the town and all the fantastic stuff that is being done here."
East Finchley floristry student Angeliki Spinks made a buttonhole for the Mayor, which symbolised the Millennium Wheel and featured Craspedia and Celosia flowers and leaves of Gaultheria Shallon.
She said: "I just started back at college yesterday so I was surprised to hear the Mayor was coming to visit. It was a privilege to meet him. He was really interested in hearing about our intentions for our future careers. I used to work as an office administrator, for a property development firm but now I am retraining. After my course I hope to have my own floristry business."
Capel Manor principal and chief executive Dr Steve Dowbiggin, said he thought the Mayor " got a good feel for what we do."
