CONNECT - November 2022

Ceidleigh Flynn Internal Communications Assistant

Editor’s

Your November Issue of CONNECT Magazine

Dates For Your Diary

Pie Night at The Manor House Restaurant, Corby

Thursday 3 November

Bedford College Open Day

Tuesday 8 November, (5.00pm - 8.00pm)

Tresham College Corby Open Day

In this issue

CONNECT, find out more about our AoC Student of the Year

short listers,

saving tips from the Wellbeing

and how an LRC Team Leader is encouraging staff and students to take care of their mental health by taking part in a mindfulness session known as “Forest Bathing” at Shuttleworth College.

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bedford.ac.uk no later than

14 November.

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Thursday 10 November, (5.00pm - 8.00pm)

National College for Motorsport Virtual Open Day

Thursday 10 November, (5.00pm - 7.00pm)

Seafood and Grill Night at The Manor House Restaurant, Corby Thursday 10 November

Shuttleworth Open Day

Saturday 12 November, (9.30am - 12.30pm)

The

Sixth Form

Tuesday 15 November, (5.00pm - 8.00pm)

Annual Awards Celebration (Northamptonshire)

Thursday 17 November, (6.30pm – 9.00pm)

Outdoor Education Employer Engagement

Monday 21 November (9.00am - 4.30pm)

The

Tuesday 22 November (5.00pm - 8.00pm)

Annual Awards Celebration (Bedfordshire)

Thursday 24 November, (6.30pm – 9.00pm)

Ian Pryce CBE CEO The Bedford College Group

Principal’s Update

Top of the Class

At the Association of Colleges Conference (15 –16 November) the sector chooses its Student’s of the Year. We have never managed to get a student on the shortlist, but this year we have managed to get two!

Daniel McAllister has been shortlisted for Adult Student of the Year. Daniel studied HND Electrical & Electronic Engineering. Ellen Stultiens has been shortlisted for HE Student of the Year. They studied HND Art and Design.

The Class of 62

We are worried about those who will find it difficult to meet their heating bills this winter. Coincidentally, there was a recent reunion of students who attended Shuttleworth during the Great Freeze of 1962-63. It was inspiring to see these 80-year olds genuinely delighting in each other’s company and successes, showing how strong the friendships developed at College can be. In their time they were served by nine teaching staff and nine governors, which shows how much land-based education has grown in sixty years.

Top of the Class Part Two

Following the report by Dame Mary Ney on intervention by our funding bodies, the government, through the FE Commissioner, has sought to be more supportive of colleges by selecting strong expert leaders to help support other colleges. I am delighted our Deputy Chief Executive Pat Jones has been selected to become one of the first national leaders in finance, a new initiative. Pat will support the FE Commissioner and her team, offering advice to colleges in financial difficulty.

Colleges Week October 2022

Every year we get asked to help celebrate Colleges Week, organised by the Association of Colleges (AoC). The usual expectation is for us to produce a song, so this year we have taken on board the growth agenda and produced two! The first was a funding plea to our then Secretary of State, who has since been replaced and the second, a celebration of further education as a service for everyone. Click here to view.

Wellbeing

Money Saving Tips For November

With the economic challenges continuing across the UK and the government somewhat in turmoil, any resolution to rising prices seems quite a way away as yet.

As we covered last month, the Wellbeing group is focusing on Financial Wellbeing this year and this month we’ve come up with some tips that might be able to save you money.

1. If you are able to, pay insurance costs up front rather than as a Direct Debit. Direct Debits can add 10% to your annual fees, and with high-cost areas like car insurance this can be a significant amount.

2. Check for online shopping vouchers before checking out. Many companies (such as Vouchercloud for example), provide no cost discount codes to enable you to get money off when checking out online.

3. Go incognito when shopping online as this automatically deletes your browser history when you close your internet. A large number of companies track what people are looking up and then put the prices up, so make sure you keep them in the dark.

4. Do your Christmas Shopping in the Black Friday sales. With the growth in online shopping, there’s no need to fight your way through the crowds but rather you can do it all from the comfort of your sofa. A large number of retailers have adopted the American sales period and offer good discounts for a few days in late November so start making a list and do all your Christmas shopping then.

5. Beware of the temptation of BOGOFs. Many people get drawn into buying items they didn’t want or need and worse still, often don’t get around to using so actually end up wasting money. Make sure you stick to a list when food shopping and don’t stray from it.

6. Review your suppliers of utilities and insurance on a comparison website – especially if you’ve been with a company for a while. New customers often get the better deals, so shop around and change your providers to save money each year.

Caroline Biddle Executive Director of Human Resources cbiddle@bedford.ac.uk

Caring

Forest Bathing at Shuttleworth

Angela Harding, LRC Team Leader at Shuttleworth College, has recently introduced a new series of mindfulness exercises known as Forest Bathing. She came across the practice when on a trip to Canada in 2016 and spent a day with students from the Forest Sciences Department at the University of British Columbia who were learning about the importance of trees and invited her to join in on a session of Forest Bathing, a practice which is about spending mindful and meaningful time amongst trees; connecting with our natural surroundings. It involves a combination of meditative walking and a series of simple mindful practices as well as understanding the science behind the holistic benefits.

Beginning in 1980’s Japan, it was known as Shinrin-Yoku and was a bid to reconnect the population with the outdoors and protecting the environment during a time of great technological advancement. The practice of being outdoors and appreciating the forest isn’t new and is a centuries old cultural and spiritual practice, but its resulting health benefits have since been proven, with some participants noticing improvements in their cardiovascular health, a boost to the immune system, accelerated recovery rate following ill-heath or surgery and reporting positive impacts on mental health conditions such as anxiety & depression and increased focus for dementia patients and those with ADHD to name a few.

This impact that forest bathing can have on physical and mental health as well as the obvious significance to our planet inspired her and when she came back she completed a qualification in Forest Bathing in 2020-2021.

Angela now leads a monthly Forest Bathing session on behalf of the Shuttleworth Trust at the Shuttleworth Swiss Gardens for members of the visiting public and for Shuttleworth College, she has been able to lead groups of PATs & Shuttleworth Students Services and Halls of Residence Teams on sessions during their CPD training and Planning Days. More recently she has taken students studying Countryside Management & Outdoor Recreation on sessions with special permission to view the Swiss Gardens and Woodland Walk at Shuttleworth. She notes that this is both beneficial for teaching alternative sources of outdoor recreation to the norm and also to assist students and staff in connecting with nature, reducing stress and being generally more mindful of and connected with nature. At the end of most sessions, she completes them with a simple Japanese Tea Ceremony which she says “shares principles with forest bathing, such as harmony, respect & tranquillity.”

Caring

AoC Students of the Year

Two students from The Bedford College Group have been shortlisted as Student of Year for their categories at this year’s AoC Student of the Year Awards.

Ellen Stultiens, who studied on both the HNC and HND Art & Design courses has been shortlisted for Higher Education Student of the Year. Overcoming both physical and mental challenges such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and anxiety, Ellen has gone from strength to strength due to the extensive support they received at the College and their own sheer determination. Their work with the Student Commission on Racial Justice (a student group made up of 40 students from colleges across the UK) and on organising and taking part in an exhibit held in Bedford town centre called: ‘Art and sustainability: does the societal benefit of creating art account for its materialistic impact?’ has inspired many and makes them a very worthy recipient of this shortlisting.

When asked, lecturer Richard Lloyd had this to say regarding Ellen: “Over the years I have taught some really good students who have got into some great universities and gone on to do amazing things – but Ellen is probably one of the best students I’ve ever seen.”

To read more about Ellen’s nomination, please click here

Daniel McAllister, who studied HND Electrical & Electronic Engineering, has made the shortlist for Adult Student of the Year. Daniel, who is deaf and uses a BSL interpreter in class has worked extremely hard and became one of the top performers on his course, achieving six A+ grades and five A grades. Alongside his course, Daniel also worked full time and still found time to be the Diversity and Inclusion Champion for Network Rail and the Quadrant: MK Mental Wellbeing Champion. His work ethic and dedication has been an inspiration to all who have worked with him, including Senior Trainer John Paintin, who said that Daniel had “produced some excellent presentations and posters that [he’s] definitely going to use in future classes to inspire students and give them examples of the sort of level of work they could be achieving.”

To read more about Daniel’s nomination, please click here.

The national finalists will be announced during the AoC Conference in November and we wish all nominees the best of luck.

Creative Conscience Awards Teacher Education Department Moving on Up

Every year the Art & Design Department enter their HE Graphic Design students into national and international awards and for nearly 20 years we have continuously had winning entries, a total of 34 to date. The competitions they focus on are arranged by D&AD, YCN and Creative Conscience. These competitions are international and attract entries from Universities all over the globe and winning entries are celebrated, framed and recorded on the back wall of the Art & Design studio.

This year is no different, with two graphic design students, Ellie Di Carlo and Konrad Konopka, having celebrated winning/highly commended entries in the international ‘Creative Conscience Awards’.

Creative Conscience is a global creative community and not-for-profit organisation who believe creative thinking and innovation can make positive change – values and beliefs which align closely with our own. The charity aims to empower, mentor and reward members of the creative community to use their talent for positive social and environmental impact.

Ellie and Konrad worked as a team as Higher National Certificate (HNC) students and developed a strategy to influence the public’s shopping habits when buying fashion by introducing a ‘colour-coded hanger’ system to confirm a garment’s sustainability credentials.

When asked why he feels entering these competitions is important for our students, Advanced Practitioner Jeffrey Tribe said that “Winning allows our students to understand their capabilities and thus build their confidence; and of course, it always looks good on [their] CV.” He also noted that “for staff it’s a key form of professional development and keeps us on our toes.”

To read more about the winning Creative Conscience project, click here

The Teacher Ed Departments at both Bedford and Kettering sites have gone up in the World… .’Up North’. The staff and students recently made a trip to the University of Huddersfield (UoH) to induct our new recruits into our new partner for the CertEd and PGCE provision.

UoH have a large consortium of around 30 colleges currently in their Teacher Ed network and they are experienced at offering partnership provision. Students travelled to meet the teaching teams, complete registration and have a lesson on the VLE and LRC. There was also time for a tour of the Huddersfield campus which is situated alongside the canal with many of the buildings previously used as old wool mills that have now been repurposed into lock side university accommodation.

The trip was well received by students and a vital link has now been established. The team will travel up again on Saturday 1 April for the Study Conference Day. Staff seen here are; Lindsey Francis, Kara Burgoyne and Louise Bedworth (Bedford) and Mark Brookes and Mark Tinney (Tresham).

Sharing news and updates across the Group

The Executive Team are looking at more ways to enable everyone to get in touch, share stories, and feedback on key initiatives throughout the year. Following on from staff feedback gathered in recent staff surveys, it was highlighted that staff receive a large amount of emails sent to all staff that may not be relevant so there are a number of ways we have worked to alleviate this.

To ensure all staff are kept up to date with any urgent information relating to systems being down or relating to staff and student health and safety including building access, all staff will receive an email from Critical College Update.

This new Critical College Update email aims to highlight that the information included in that email needs to be read immediately, as it may affect you in carrying out your role or the safety of you and your students.

Back in August, we also introduced the weekly newsletter with news for all staff being shared every Tuesday containing a round-up of what’s going on across the Group and links to more information.

Alongside the weekly newsletter and the Critical College Update email, all staff will be added to a Leadership News and Updates Microsoft Teams Channel during the October half-term, which will allow everyone to respond to important updates and key information shared by the Group’s Leadership Team. This Teams channel will be monitored regularly and staff are encouraged to share their thoughts and good practice throughout the year.

These new ways to keep in touch are in addition to the long existing intranet and staff magazine produced for the Group on a monthly basis.

Feedback and suggestions regarding these new initiatives are always welcome and can be sent to communications@bedford.ac.uk.

Upcoming Open Days

Please see below for a list of our upcoming Open Days in November.

• Tuesday 8 November: Bedford College - 5.00pm – 8.00pm

• Thursday 10 November: National College for Motorsport - 5.00pm –7.00pm

• Thursday 10 November: Tresham College Corby - 5.00pm – 8.00pm

• Saturday 12 November: Shuttleworth College - 9.30am – 12.30pm

• Tuesday 15 November: The Bedford Sixth Form - 5.00pm – 8.00pm

• Tuesday 22 November: The Corby Sixth Form - 5.00pm – 8.00pm

Campus Developments

Over the next few months various developments across the Group will take place, including the Tower Block refurbishment project at Bedford College, improving the sustainability of The Bedford Sixth Form and the development of The Corby Sixth Form.

The Tower Block refurbishment project at Bedford College will consist of various construction works including the following:

• The partial replacement and reinstatement of the existing window/walling of the existing 1960’s 8 storey Tower Block

• The ground floor and part mezzanine level will be fully remodelled and modernised. The exiting service cores and electrical infrastructure will be fully replaced

• Ventilation and background cooling will be introduced into most rooms. River water cooling will be connected to the Tower Block via a new buried services connection from the Modern Methods of Construction Centre.

It is anticipated that, due to the age of the building, controlled and notifiable asbestos removal work will be required. Asbestos R&D surveys will be conducted as the occupants of areas of the building are relocated. The Tower Block will remain live at all times during the works.

Staff based on the 5th and 6th Floors of the Bedford College, Tower Block have now been asked to vacate their working spaces and take personal belongings. Work began on Monday 24 October and is expected to run until December 2022. Professional Services staff from these floors will be temporarily based in the Green Room of the Tower Block, however, they are also able to book spaces within other offices/ campuses where required, and where possible, work from home.

Work continues at The Bedford Sixth Form to improve its energy efficiency and carbon savings. With the help of £6 Million in grants awarded to the Group the old building is undergoing innovative improvements by Ashe Construction since January 2022.

The existing archaic heating system was stripped out along with old gas boilers and cast iron pipework. In their place come two giant air source pumps (ASHP) which will heat the whole building, supported by modern insulation methods including secondary glazing enabling leaded windows to be kept. Also kept in place were the decorative radiators in The Grand Hall which were taken off site, power-cleaned, restored and put back.

The Corby Sixth Form development is also underway with more than 25 classrooms, state of the art science labs, resource centres and performance areas being built. Those who attend will also be able to enjoy an external roof terrace, and a modern café and common room areas. It is due to open to students in September 2023.

Achievement Awards Ceremonies 2022

New Strategic Plan out Now

Our annual celebration of student achievement is getting closer, giving staff, students and their families the opportunity to celebrate their success in the last academic year.

As you know, this year we will be returning to hosting these events in person and so we would like to ask once more for staff volunteers to help make the events run as smoothly as possible for the students and their guests.

If you are able to help with either of the events please email pmann@bedford.ac.uk no later than Friday 4 November.

Northamptonshire Achievement Awards Ceremony: Thursday 17 November 2022 at Kettering Conference Centre, Kettering.

Bedfordshire Achievement Awards Ceremony: Thursday 24 November 2022 at King’s House, Bedford.

Both events will start from 6.30pm with the ceremony itself starting at 7.30pm prompt. The ceremony will finish at approximately 9.00pm.

If you have not yet reserved a seat and would like to attend as a guest please email pmann@bedford.ac.uk by 4.00pm on Friday 4 November to reserve your seat.

Our Skills for a Sustainable Future Strategic Plan 2022 – 2027 has now been released following extensive consultation and feedback from staff, students and stakeholders. This document outlines our key objectives for the Group over the next five years, alongside how we plan to achieve these goals.

To read the full document, please click here.

Job Opportunities

Catering Assistant

Location: Wellingborough, Permanent - Part Time Salary: £19,760 per annum, pro rata

Application closing date: 31/10/2022

Lecturer in Countryside and Fisheries Management

Location: Shuttleworth, Permanent - Full Time

Salary: £21,000 -£31,323 per annum, depending on qualifications and experience

Application closing date: 31/10/2022

Lecturer in Health and Social Care

Location: Northamptonshire, Sessional - Hourly Paid

Salary: Associate - (Unqualified) £20.50 per hour. (Qualified PGCE/Cert Ed or equivalent) £21.50 per hour

Application closing date: 31/10/2022

Personal Achievement Tutor

Location: Silverstone, Permanent - Full Time Salary: £22,000 per annum

Application closing date: 01/11/2022

Assessor/ IQA Training Coordinator - Carpentry

Location: Bedford and Corby, Permanent - Full Time

Salary: £26,010 - £36,188 per annum, depending on qualifications and experience

Application closing date: 14/11/2022

Associate Student Support Assistant

Location: Bedford, Sessional Salary: £12 per hour

Application closing date: 16/12/2022

Associate - Invigilators

Location: Bedfordshire, Sessional Salary: £10.00 per hour

Application closing date: 31/12/2022

Associate - Invigilators Location: Northamptonshire, Sessional Salary: £10.00 per hour

Application closing date: 31/12/2022

» View and apply for our full-time and parttime vacancies via The Bedford College Group vacancy portal which can be found on CONNECT staff intranet.

Welcome to the group

Sruia Begum

Learning Support Assistant

Shannon Belson Teacher - A Level Drama

Barbara Bialek Teacher - Business

Jeremy Blamires Teaching Assistant

Paula Brazier Deputy Head - Quality

Wendy Brown Catering Assistant

Claire Clarke Associate - Lecturer - AAT

Elizabeth Cosh Associate - Creative Technician

Emily Culling Practical Instructor - Animal Management

Danielle Devonshire Personal Achievement Tutor Anne Evans Teaching Assistant

Paul Giffney Agency - Teacher of Media Emily-Keziah Green Associate - Teacher - Music

Elise Gray Associate - Lecturer - Foundation

Pippa Harker-Croft Work Placement Co-ordinator

Kristaq Hazizi Associate - Lecturer

Christopher Holder

Self-Employed - Dry Lining Lecturer

Emma Holliday Associate - Lecturer - Art & Design

Linda Holmes Maths Catch-Up Tutor

Rebecca James Trainee Lecturer

Laura Jeffery Market Research Executive Surayya Khan Quality Manager

Lorraine Knight Associate - Lecturer - Access to HE

Pamela Knowles Associate - Lecturer - Business Annemarie Kruz Agency - Teaching Assistants

Paul Labous Associate - Lecturer - Land & Environment

Stacey Law Learning Support Assistant Timothy Lawrence Training Coordinator - Carpentry

Laura Lee Associate - Lecturer – Electrical Installation

Alan Lewis Technician - Building Services Paul Lockyer Associate - IQA - Construction

Paul Lockyer Training Co-ordinator

Marialuisa Lombardi Teaching Assistant

Joseph McKenzie Teacher - Politics & Philosophy Kyle McNeill Assistant Manager Erica Mejicano Learning Support Assistant Alison Monaghan Maths Catch-Up Tutor

Imogen Moore

Grounds Maintenance Apprentice

Tuesday Moroney Associate - Lecturer - Business & AAT

Rachel Newsholme English Catch-Up Tutor Lisa Parker Teaching Assistant

Natalie Parsons Personal Achievement Tutor Zak Preedy Apprentice IT Technician

Henry Reynolds Lecturer in Health & Social Care

Daniel Robert

Trainee Lecturer - Electrical Installation

Richard Rochester

Agency - Lecturer - English Amanda Russell Associate - Distance Learning

Leonie Silver

Personal Achievement Tutor Samantha Simmonite Agency - Higher School / College Coordinator

Emilia Sorrentino

Associate - Teaching Assistant Magdelena Stear Technician - Art & Design Stephanie Stronnar Associate - Distance Learning

Alex Taylor English Catch-Up Tutor Kieran Taylor Associate – Teacher - Sport Natalie Taylor Teacher - Psychology Kishore Teelanah Teacher - Science MacDonald Tembo Teacher - Economics

Kieran Tracey Associate - Training Co-ordinator

Anthony Twigger Agency - Lecturer in Carpentry

Stephanie Vecchio Learning Support Assistant

Helen Wildman

Learning Support Assistant

Anne Williams Associate - Lecturer – Business Sarah Young

Libraries & Learning Resources Assistant

Ashley Spiers

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION November 2022

Black History Month and Beyond

We are 20 years on from the BBC’s controversial 100 Greatest Britons list. Times change, and we might now look back at the list and see some figures who may be now deemed somewhat controversial - even in the upper echelons. However most notably for many of us, was the absence of any people of black or South Asian origin.

Author and activist Patrick Vernon has since compiled a list of 100 Great Black Britons - partly in response to the unconscious bias of the BBC’s list. His book is not just an exploration of what Britishness is, but a celebration of black excellence in a country where many of us continue to face disadvantages just because of our race. He is keen to emphasise that black people are not one homogeneous group. There is diversity and difference among us - some of us are LGBTQ+, some of us are neurodivergent, and we all have differing lived experiences.

Here at The Bedford College Group, we are determined to celebrate black history beyond just October. Some of our black students have told us they no longer see the point in celebrating black history month, with some saying we focus too much on the negative.

But many of our students never had the opportunity to learn about black contributions to British history at school. They relish the opportunity that Black History Month gives them to be heard.

Our organisation is proud to continue our race equality work beyond October. This includes continuing our involvement in the Student Commission on Racial Justice alongside 10 other colleges across the UK. We are busy implementing our race equality action plan, having started a diversity in leadership development programme and a race equality staff forum. One of our EDI objectives over the next two years is to establish The Bedford College Group as a truly anti-racist organisation, and to be a focal point for race equality for the community.

1

Diversity calendar in November 2022

All Saints’ Day -

All Souls’ Day – Christian

of Emperor Haile Selassie I - Rastafari

Awareness

Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev – Sikh

Day of Remembrance and Solidarity

Dedication of the Lateran Basilica – Catholic Christian

Day

Week

National Anti-Bullying Week

Awareness Week

Diabetes

Nativity Fast beginsOrthodox Christian

UK Disability History Month Begins

Children in Need

International Men’s Day

Feast of Christ the KingChristian

Presentation of the Theotokos – Orthodox Christian

Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur - Sikh

November Day of the Covenant – Baha’i

November Advent Sunday - Christian

November Ascension of Abdu’l-Bahá –Baha’I

November Saint Andrew’s DayChristian

Lynsey Travers HR Manager - Human Resources ltravers@bedford.ac.uk

STAFF PERKS TOP OFFERS THIS MONTH

Rewards for staff at The Bedford College Group – Saving you money everyday

What is The Bedford College Group Perks Scheme?

The Perks Scheme is available to all core staff and offers a variety of discounts at retailers from fashion, books, dining, pets, travel and many more.

How can I save money?

• Instant Vouchers – you can purchase vouchers for a set amount and a discount will be applied. Most supermarkets offer at least 4% discount saving you money on your weekly shop. Other offers are:

• Currys PC World – Save 10%

• Argos – Save 7%

• IKEA – Save 5%

• Cashback – earn money when you shop online. Any cashback you earn can be used as you wish either towards future purchases or transferred to your bank account. Current offers are:

• Ocado – earn up to 3%

• Halfords – earn 2%

• Decathlon – earn 3%

How do I access the Perks Scheme?

You can access The Bedford College Group Perks via the Quick Links on Connect or download the ‘SmartSpending’ app through Google Play or Apple App Store!

Other Perks

When you access the Perks Scheme, you will also have access to The Wellbeing Centre and the Social Recognition Wall.

The Wellbeing Centre provides education, support and tools to help you live a healthier and happier life, because your wellbeing matters.

The Social Recognition Wall is your way of making someone feel special through recognition. You can recognise another staff member for a job well done, living the values or celebrate an occasion. Caring