A SOFT fruit and asparagus grower based near Leominster hosted two partially sighted work experience students.

Ewan Waker and Loic Moyne, completed a day’s work placement in S&A Produce's Growing Department at Marden, a vist arranged by the Royal National College for the Blind (RNC).

Ewan is a student at the RNC in Hereford and Loic was visiting the UK from the RNC’s partner college Cité Scolaire René Pellet (CSRP) based in Lyon.

Loic’s visit was funded through the EU ‘Erasmus +’ programme which aims to help students with visual impairments improve their English, develop skills in the work place, learn about English working culture and the opportunities available for people with disabilities in the UK, whilst also working with staff and students at the RNC on all of these aspects.

Both work experience students relished getting their hands dirty – helping with blueberry and strawberry planting – and also enjoyed the opportunity to sit in a range of S&A’s vehicles.

Claire Lewin, the RNC placement organiser, said: "Ewan and Loic thoroughly enjoyed their work placement at S&A Produce and would very much like the opportunity to work with the company again.

"Practical placements such as these are invaluable to the students and help them enormously in developing practical skills for work.” The visit was as a result of a breakfast briefing held at the college last November where local companies were invited to go along and discuss the possibility of offering work placements to RNC students. Jude Norcott, from S&A Produce, added: "Both the RNC and ourselves are now keen to further develop our relationship and we will be discussing options for additional work placements in the future."