A YORK acupuncture college has celebrated 30 years in business.

The Northern College of Acupuncture (NCA), based in Micklegate, held a day-long event on September 1, as it reached the milestone anniversary.

More than 150 current and former students from across the UK joined teaching staff and guests speakers at Clements Hall community centre to mark the occasion.

The day offered seminars, group discussions and an awards ceremony, with honours including acupuncture hero and the founders award.

Afterwards attendees put down their needles to hit the dance floor.

College principal, Richard Blackwell, said: “It was a real pleasure to see so many of our graduates, tutors past and present and current students gathered together to celebrate.

“Since our start in 1988, we have graduated around 800 students on our degree and postgraduate courses.

“Our graduates, with their high level of training, are making a difference to people’s health and well-being all over the UK and beyond.”

The NCA was founded in 1988 and trains more than 35 students annually to become qualified acupuncturists, as well as around 25 students a year on its nutrition masters course.

It also offers online masters courses for complementary healthcare practitioners around the world.

The college boasts a series of historical firsts, including being the first UK teaching institution to offer a university degree in acupuncture, the first to offer a postgraduate degree in Chinese herbal medicine and the first to achieve professional accreditation for its acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and nutritional therapy courses.

Graduate Lynda Sharp, from Dumfries, said: “NCA changed my life.

“I am still working in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine and about to launch my new Wellness Centre after an amazing 24 years in practice.”

For more details about the courses on offer at the college, contact marketing manager Denise Magson on 01904 343 309 or go to nca.ac.uk/the-college/30-years-northern-college-acupuncture