New-look Endeavour Building is opened in Cambridge

Press release issued: 11 May 2011

l to r: Kate Nicholas, James Paice MP, Cllr Charlie Nightingale, David Pomfret (CWA Principal), Sheila Pankhurst (Head of the Department of Life Sciences at Anglia Ruskin), Peter Dixon (CWA Governor), Steve Bennett (Anglia Ruskin's Secretary and Clerk) and Gin the dog.

A joint venture between the College of West Anglia (CWA) and Anglia Ruskin University has seen the opening of the newly-refurbished Endeavour Building for the delivery of animal-related Higher Education courses at CWA's Milton campus in Cambridge.

The new-look building now provides vocational training facilities along with state-of-the-art industry-standard equipment. The Endeavour Building now boasts a veterinary nursing skills rehearsal suite and a new animal behaviour facility, including a viewing area that allows observers to watch unseen by the animals. In addition, 4 rooms have been overhauled to house small animals including lizards, snakes, tarantulas and rodents.

The building was officially opened by Rt. Hon James Paice MP, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food. In attendance was Cllr Charlie Nightingale, the Chair of South Cambridgeshire Council, Anglia Ruskin's Secretary and Clerk Steve Bennett, and Kate and Gin the dancing dog, who featured on Britain's Got Talent in 2008.

The Endeavour Building was refurbished thanks to a combined investment of approximately £400,000 from Anglia Ruskin and CWA. David Pomfret, Principal of CWA, said: "We're really pleased with this refurbishment which is the latest development in a multi-million pound campus investment programme in partnership with Anglia Ruskin University.

"The new facilities will enhance the delivery of our new Animal Nursing level 2 programme starting in September 2011 and our new FdSc and BSc courses in Veterinary Nursing and Applied Animal Behaviour starting in September 2012."

Dr Sheila Pankhurst, Head of the Department of Life Sciences at Anglia Ruskin University said:

"The joint venture partnership between the College of West Anglia and Anglia Ruskin University continues to create new and exciting opportunities for the joint delivery of animal-related HE courses which draw on the strengths of both institutions.

"Anglia Ruskin University is delighted with the first-rate facilities within the Endeavour Building, which will provide an effective and stimulating learning environment for the Veterinary Nursing and Applied Animal Behaviour degree students when these degrees commence in 2012. "