AYR students at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) have been given a financial boost towards training, study tours and travel.

The SRUC students at Ayr’s campus are set to benefit from the £50k donation from the Auchincruive Former Students Association which will be used to fund additional activities for students until August 2022.

This could include funding for professional training courses not currently provided by SRUC, in everything from agriculture and business management, to countryside management, engineering and animal science.

Sheena Stewart, Chairperson of Auchincruive College (Former Students) Association, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer this financial support to students.”

The association, which ceased in December 2019, had been in existence since 1918 when it was formed by staff at the West of Scotland Agricultural College – now part of SRUC – at the Auchincruive Estate.

Fourth-year Rural Business Management students Charlotte Bailey, 36, and David Anderson, 34, also welcomed the donation.Charlotte said: “It will provide fantastic opportunities that students would otherwise miss out on, such as more in-depth, tourism-related study trips.”