Sheep shearing courses provide skills and employment opportunities

Feel like you'd like to improve your shearing techniques or perhaps you've always wanted to learn how to shear sheep but never got around to it?

Booking a place on one of the British Wool Marketing Board's forthcoming shearing courses could be just what you need.

Once again this year's courses, organised through British Wool Marketing Training Ltd, have attracted plenty of interest among those with a keen interest in all aspects of sheep shearing - but there are still places left on courses throughout the UK.

Colin MacGregor, the British Wool Marketing Board's shearing manager, says the two-day courses provide much more than learning how to shear sheep.

"The courses cover every aspect of shearing - and that includes learning how to operate and maintain the shearing gear to achieve the best possible results for both new and established shearers.

"As well as teaching newcomers how to shear - and helping experienced shearers to do the job even better - the shearing courses also provide skills and qualifications that can generate new employment opportunities," says Mr MacGregor.

Full details of the two-day courses - which cost £75 +VAT - can be obtained from the British Wool Marketing Board's regional offices. The courses are free to applicants from Powys as part of continued rural skills funding from ESF (European Social Fund).

Callander (Scotland): (01877) 339657. Newtown (Wales): (01686) 626811. Exeter (Southern England): (01392) 477944. England (Bradford): (01274) 688666