Deputy Leader joins Principal and students in grape harvest

Plumpton College has had an outstanding harvest across its 8.5 hectares of vineyards, and Deputy Leader for Brighton and Hove City Council Gillian Mitchell was on-site to join students in picking the final grapes. 

Gillian joined Jeremy Kerswell, Principal at Plumpton College to harvest the Seyval blanc, a late-ripening variety of grape, and one of the last ones to be picked before the Riesling. Plumpton College boasts the UK's centre of excellence for education, training and research in wine and produces around 25,000 bottles of award-winning still and sparkling wine each year. 

Plumpton College are working with Brighton and Hove City Council towards the development of Stanmer Park and Estate to restore its buildings and landscape, improving the environment, access and education to ensure it reflects the needs of park users and the wider community. 

Plumpton College constantly looks for ways in which communities could better benefit from the range of expertise that the College has in the land-based food and drink sectors. Principal, Jeremy Kerswell. 

The grape picking is largely carried out by the first year wine production students, who work hard to ensure the harvest is brought in on time.