YEAR Nine students from Newent Community School had a taste of the real world with a trip to the local business community.

Organiser Pippa Palmer said: “The idea was to show pupils what businesses there are around us and what it is like to work in the many and varied business environments.”

The students visited Two Rivers Housing in Cleeve Mill Lane, who hosted the event, for a briefing before visiting the other businesses around the town and business parks.

They were welcomed at well-established local carpenters, Bespoke Newent Joinery in Newent Business Park and the Britdoors Group factory on the same estate. Pupils also visited Country Corner, where owner Suzie Matthews showed students the workings of a traditional shop and discussed the requirements of working in a shop.

Pippa told the Review: “In the feedback session at the end of each day the students gave a short speech on what they had learned. They all appreciated the opportunity to visit the businesses and learned a great deal and they all told us they were very surprised there were so many businesses in Newent.”