A DUCHY College student has been named the Cornish Mutual South West Agricultural Student of the Year. 

Isabella Rhodes, a BSc student, also received a £750 higher education bursary. She was selected for the top award from recipients across the south west. 

An active young farmer, Isabella also chairs the Cornwall YFC agriculture group. She has already completed a work placement with a genetics company and is keen to pursue a career in bovine genetics. 

In her application, Isabella wrote: “When I am not studying I split my time between work and Young Farmers Club, there is not a second of my waking day when I’m not thinking about agriculture in some form.”

Also at Duchy College, Level 2 land-based engineering student Henry Matthews, received a £500 further education bursary. 

Henry grew up on his family's beef and sheep farm, where he has a herd of pedigree Texel sheep. He was recently elected junior vice chairman of his local young farmers club. 

He said: “I will use [the bursary money] to buy a new welding mask with an air filter and to expand my tool collection to apply what I have learnt on my course to our machinery at home.”

The judges of the Cornish Mutual busaries were impressed by the student's enthusiasm for agriculture and their determination to build careers in the farming section.

There were other recipients of the Cornish Mutual bursaries across the south west, including two students from Somerset and one from Dorset. 

Peter Beaumont, managing director at Cornish Mutual, said they were 'delighted' to receive a number of 'high quality applications' for the bursaries. 

“We were struck by Henry’s drive to apply the knowledge gained on his course to support both his home farm and other local farming businesses," he added. 

“Isabella stood out for her positive outlook on change and willingness to embrace challenges. Despite not coming from a farming background, she has worked hard to expand her knowledge and experience in order to build a career in the industry.”