A HORTICULTURAL teacher who has seen thousands of students pass through his classroom has announced he is to retire.

Dave Feaver started working at Pershore College in 1975 and was appointed Head of Horticulture in 1996.

In 33 years Mr Feaver has seen considerable change in both the industry and the college.

The most recent change was the merger between Pershore College and Warwickshire College.

A college spokesman said: "Having worked with no fewer than four principals at Pershore Dave's enthusiasm, knowledge and dedication to both the industry, and college, has been one of the driving forces behind Pershore's reputation within the industry."

Since the merger Mr Feaver has worked with Warwickshire College on the redevelopment of the Pershore campus.

This has included drawing up the specifications for the new glasshouses and biomass boiler that is currently out to tender, as well as plans to replace the existing accommodation hostels and teaching areas with new sustainable facilities for which investment was negotiated as part of the merger.

Mr Feaver's work in recent years contributed to the Pershore Group of Colleges winning the 2007 Green Gown Award as Britain's greenest college.

Based around a whole college approach to sustainability Mr Feaver was specifically involved in rainwater harvesting from the roof of the new library that is then used to irrigate Pershore's commercial plant nursery and further recycled.

The water-recycling project, teaching and work with employers were a major contribution to the award of the horticultural Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) status at Pershore.

It also led to the establishment of an Employers Group at Pershore that attracted the UK's leading employers and trade bodies to its inaugural meeting last January.

During Mr Feaver's time at Pershore the college has held two national plant collections, is the only college-based RHS Centre, has regularly won RHS medals and has a national reputation for excellence attested by CoVE status and, more recently, an outstanding Ofsted report.

The spokesman added: "Further change is inevitable but Dave leaves behind him a horticultural legacy and reputation second to none.

"His post will be advertised shortly and should appeal to anyone with the vision, drive and determination to follow in his footsteps."