news &views THE UNIVERSITY OF WORCESTER MAGAZINE
March 2011
Spotlight on Scholarships In this issue:
Let’s get quizzical Record breaking Quiz Night p.3
Going for gold Student aims for 2012 Paralympics p.6
University selected as Regional Centre For Wheelchair Basketball p.8
Research Seminar Programme p.11
Four students reveal how scholarships have helped them to excel in their sporting fields p.4-5
Trainee paramedics
feature
Paramedic Course Scores Perfect Report as Latest Trainees Gain Employment
A programme to train paramedics at the University of Worcester has been given the highest score in a quality report. The University’s FdSc Pre Hospital, Unscheduled and Emergency Care course, run in collaboration with West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) NHS Trust, scored 100% in a report from the Department of Health’s Education Commissioning for Quality. The report cited three areas of notable practice at Worcester: a robust recruitment procedure, placement opportunities, and support. The degree course is one of only a handful in the UK and has the fastest growing application rate within the University of Worcester. The news comes as all of the University’s latest trainees have either started work or are currently undertaking the selection process. The majority have gained employment with WMAS. Others have moved onto Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust or South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust. Course leader Sharon Hardwick said: “We are delighted to have another cohort of graduates from the new PreHospital, Unscheduled & Emergency Care foundation degree course. It is good to know that our students are being accepted into ambulance services throughout the country.” She added: “Paramedics are an essential front line service dealing with a vast range of emergency medical illness and traumatic injury. This course is challenging but very rewarding.” Undergraduates carry out a range of practical workbased training and in-depth theoretical study, including advanced anatomy and physiology. They also complete 2 / MARCH 2011 / newsandviews@worc.ac.uk
more than 1,500 hours of practical service during the twoyear course, which is run in partnership with WMAS. The University of Worcester also offers a technician to paramedic course, which is designed to provide progression and career opportunities for existing technicians who work within ambulance services. Students on the programme are seconded by their ambulance trust over a 32 week period. On successful completion of the programme students will be eligible to register as Paramedic Practitioners with the Health Professions Council.
COVER STORY wELCOME
contents
welcome W
elcome to the March issue of News & Views, featuring a roundup of news, launches and milestones from the past month at the University of Worcester. There has been a sense of victory in the air this past month as students, staff and the University itself celebrate accolades, awards and achievements.
On page 12, Deputy Vice Chancellor Professor Ros Foskett announces colleagues from each Institute who have been appointed Associate Heads of Institute.
The Snoezelen Centre is a leisure and therapy facility for people with severe learning difficulties and disabilities.
Paramedic Course Scores Perfect Report 2
COVER STORY Spotlight on Scholarships
At a gala evening at New Road cricket ground last month staff, students and one of our sports teams were crowned winners at the Worcester City Council Annual Sports Awards. Also from the Institute of Sport and Exercise Science, we feature four outstanding students who have all been awarded scholarships. Staying with the winning theme, the University of Worcester has beaten 19 Midlands institutions to take second place in the Midlands Enterprising University of the Year Awards. Please keep sending your news to newsandviews@worc.ac.uk
AN ANNUAL CHARITY QUIZ NIGHT RAISES A RECORD £1,000.04 Forty-two teams took part in this year’s event in aid of the University’s Charity of the Year, The Worcester Snoezelen Centre.
FEATURE
This year’s champions were a team from the University’s accommodation department. The best team name award went to, ‘DENSA’, a team from the Communication and Development Department. Quiz Master Chris Dunn said “It was a superb evening with record attendance and a record amount raised. We hope next year will be bigger and better still.”
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news Quiz Night 2011 3 Aiming for Gold in 2012 Paralympic Games 6 Jackie leaves a Footprint 6 Highly Commended in Midlands Enterprising University of the Year 7 Kick Back at Kick Off 7 Two Worcester graduates have been snapped up by a local environmental firm 7 University Selected as Regional Centre for wheelchair Basketball 8 Coach and Referee Courses 8 Students Help Fight Doorstep Crime 9 Academic’s Work Published in Internationally-Renowned Journal 9 Worcester Arena Given Thumbs Up 9 Changing World of Agriculture Explored by Worcester Professor 10 New DVD for People Living with Dementia 10 Research Seminar Programme 11 An evening of sporting success 12 Can you help? 12 Associate Heads of Institute Announcement 12
sTAFF FEATURE Computer Whiz to Rock Chick: Viv Bell
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newsandviews@worc.ac.uk / MARCH 2011 / 3
Spotlight on Scholarships Scholarships
University Scholarships Students have the opportunity twice a year to apply for funds, up to £1000, to assist them with activities such as:
Recognising outstanding academic achievement and excellence in all fields, the University of Worcester offers a range of scholarships that are designed to support and reward new and current students.
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Academic Scholarships
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The University awards scholarships of £1000 to first and second year students on the basis of their academic achievement in their first and second year of study at the University.
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Voluntary activities which are community based, either in the UK or abroad Activities related to a past-time or interest in which the student is involved (e.g. music or some other arts-based area; elite sport) A course related activity which is voluntary but, if undertaken, is likely to contribute to the scholar’s academic performance (e.g. a study visit or attendance at a conference)
COVER STORY
Here are a selection of successful applicants from this year: Jess Stone
Sport and Exercise Science student Jess Stone will be competing in the 2011 UCI Downhill Mountain Biking World Cup. Twenty-year-old Jess Stone, from Church Stretton, Shropshire, will be travelling to South Africa in April with her sponsor Trek Gravity Girls to compete in the competition where she is aiming for a top 10 position.
Jonathan Patton
Laura Davies and Kim Bebbington
Twenty-one-year-old Jonathan Patton, from Bilton, Rugby, has been given £250 from the University’s Scholarship Panel for his work as a volunteer at Coventry City Football Club and his involvement with Worcester Blind Football Club.
Laura Davies and Kim Bebbington have scored a scholarship to assist with training for West Bromwich Albion Football Club. The two Sport Studies students are playing their first season with the Club after being selected during trials last year.
It is the second time Jonathan The pair applied for a scholarship has been successful in gaining to help with the cost of a scholarship from the Panel. travelling to and from training Jonathan travels to Coventry at West Bromwich. They have up to three times a week where Jess said: “The World Stage been awarded £500 each. his main focus is performance competition is very tough. Racing analysis. He helps to create Twenty-one-year-old Laura, alongside the best mountain bikers coaching and motivational films from Kings Acre, Hereford, said: in the world is certainly a challenge.” and assists with athlete education. “This money will really help with Jess, currently in her second travelling costs. We train twice a He also helped Worcester Blind year of study, already holds week, which can get quite costly.” football club win the premiership the title of 2010 UK National last season as an analyst, and Kim said: “Playing football is a Champion. Recently she was now acts as goalkeeper for massive part of my life and it’s awarded Worcester City the club, which is the only fantastic to now be playing for Council’s Higher Education sighted position in the team. a good club like West Brom.” Sports Award for her downhill mountain biking achievements. Jonathan said: “The money Laura and 20-year-old Kim, from definitely helps make possible Church Stretton, Shropshire, also The University of Worcester’s what I am trying to do. I’m play for the University’s ladies’ Scholarship Panel has awarded travelling 60 miles to Coventry a football team, which is currently Jess £600 to assist with the cost few times a week so petrol costs top of the British Universities of competing at international do add up. I’ve also had to buy and Colleges Sports league. level this year. It is the second equipment for some activities.” scholarship that Jess has received Kim is a second year Sports and from the University, receiving As well as his work within the Exercise Science student and £600 last year after gaining community and final year studies Laura is in the third year of a PE her championship title. Jonathan is involved in a drama and Sports Coaching degree. production, football coaching She added: “It is really hard to and is a student representative balance work and downhill biking. It for the University’s Institute of requires a lot of motivation but the Sport and Exercise Science. University has been very supportive.” Jonathan is hoping that a After finishing her degree Jess full time position will result is focusing on a career as a from his work with Coventry professional downhill mountain City FC after his degree. biker. She said: “Mountain biking is for everyone. The main focus is having fun.”
newsandviews@worc.ac.uk / MARCH 2011 / 5
NEWS
Student Aiming for Gold
in 2012 Paralympic Games Leanna Horne competes in Shot Put and currently holds the England Under 23s record, with a distance of 2.68 metres. The 22-year-old, of Oakenshaw South, Redditch, is now beginning a rigorous training regime, thanks to an £800 scholarship from the University of Worcester, to prepare for the 2012 Games.
Leanna, a third-year Drama and Performance student at the University, said: “This scholarship will really help me with my training, ensuring that I can attend competitions over the next 12 months and helping towards fees and travel expenses.” Leanna is a member of Cerebral Palsy Sport England and Wales. She needs to secure enough points by attending competitions throughout the next year to qualify for the GB squad for the 2012 Paralympics. “I am training as much as I possibly can - going to the gym and lifting weights at home to build up the strength in my arms, and I really hope I can make it into the 2012 selection,” she said. “It would be amazing to represent my country at the 2012 Paralympics.” Leanna took up shot put while at secondary school and won her first gold medal during her very first competition at a regional event back in 2002.
Leanna in 2004
In 2004 Leanna was named Sports Woman of the Year by Disability Sport England and npower. After a two year break between 2007 and 2009 due to illness, Leanna has been back
training and competing. “Once I have finished my studies this summer I will be able to concentrate completely on getting ready for the Games,” she said. “This is my one chance to compete at international level on home ground where all my family can come and watch and I really want it. I just hope I can secure my place in the team.”
Jackie leaves a Footprint E
nglish BA (Hons) student Jackie Lindoe has landed herself a key role on a new magazine after sending them some of her work.
She was so inspired when she took a journalism module that she sent off a feature she had written and ended up being published in their first edition. The editor of the Pavement, for homeless people, commissioned Jackie to do another feature and she is now a regular contributor. The free magazine which circulates in Birmingham and a number of urban areas in the West Midlands aims to publish objective reporting and remove the stigma from homeless people while publicising help available. Jackie, who is studying BA (Hons) English, selected some journalism modules to enable her to diversify her writing skills. She said: “I really enjoyed the news writing and reporting module and was invited to send a feature off to the publishers. They really liked it and things have really taken off. “It’s a great opportunity writing for the Pavement as I can help to raise issues of homelessness. This is a subject close to my heart as two members of my family were affected by homelessness many years
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ago and it is something you never forget. Choosing this module as a free choice subject helped me to gain a set of writing skills which I can now take into a professional arena. I want to continue to develop my writing skills further and appreciate tutorial support from lecturing staff at University of Worcester.I am looking forward to the intermediate feature writing module this semester.” Claire Wolfe, Subject Leader in Jackie Lindoe Journalism, said: “Jackie impressed us with her enthusiasm and drive. We are delighted that she has managed to get a foothold in journalism and feel sure she will do well.” Jackie has had five pieces published in the magazine and these can also be seen online at http://www.thepavement.org.uk/search. php?journalist=105
NEWS
Highly Commended in Midlands Enterprising University of the Year T
he University came second in the awards to Birmingham’s Aston University, beating competition from 19 other Midlands institutions.
Harj Sandher, Chief Executive Officer of Midlands Business Awards, said: “The University of Worcester demonstrated its commitment to helping students and graduates to find employment as well as developing the spirit of enterprise within them. It also has an excellent relationship with businesses across the region. This is why the University received this award.” Professor David Green, University of Worcester Vice Chancellor, said: “The University is delighted to have been highly commended in these awards. We are committed to giving our students the best chance at securing employment after completing their studies.
Currently, we have the best graduate employment rate for any West Midlands university and the 6th best in Britain.” The University was nominated for the award largely due to its Earn While You Learn programme and its successful Salaried Graduate Internship Scheme. Professor Green said: “We work closely with the business community to ensure we are educating people with the right high level skills and qualifications.
KICK BACK at KICK OFF Matchday Fundraising Event at Worcester Warriors Come along to the Championship play-off on Saturday 2 April to see the Worcester Warriors fight for a place in the Premiership. Tickets cost just £30 for an adult and £20 for a child, which includes a hearty meal. Drinks can be purchased from the hospitality suite bar. Arrive from 1pm for pre-match drinks and food, kick-off is at 3pm. All proceeds will go to the Worcester Arena fundraising campaign. To register your interest or to find out more about purchasing a ticket email b.heaney@worc.ac.uk
Our Salaried Graduate Internship Scheme has proved very popular and effective with many businesses and has been highly commended by the CBI, TUC and Government Ministers for helping firms to secure the dynamic graduates they need and graduates to secure highly productive paid employment combined with a highly relevant management course. This is a win win and is all part of the University’s ‘earn while you learn’ philosophy which has been so successful and popular.” The University also administers the SPEED WM programme, which offers students from eight partner universities the opportunity to develop their business ideas whilst studying. The £5million project, partially funded by the European Regional Development Fund, aims to help students become the entrepreneurs of the future and has been running since March 2009. Other initiatives include the Worcester Ideas Network – a highly successful student enterprise society which lets its members share ideas and meet like-minded students from other universities; and the Knowledge Transfer Grants Scheme , a “Dragons’ Den”style programme which enables university staff to develop their own commercial ideas and test them in the marketplace.
Two Worcester graduates snapped up by a local environmental firm Enviromontel approached the University after a previous Worcester graduate employed by the firm moved on. Business Development Manager, Kevin Jenkins, said: “We had previously employed a graduate of the University of Worcester who was fantastic, one of the best employees we have ever had. When he decided to move on, we approached the University to see if there were any other graduates that might be interested in taking on a position. For us it’s no-brainer. Graduates have the skills, the intelligence and the drive that we need and we would be very keen to take on more.” Enviromontel, based on Martley Road, Worcester, is one of the largest flow monitoring companies operating within the UK, providing flow data to the majority of water companies and their consultants. Hannah Pollard, who graduated from Worcester in 2009 with a degree in Geography with Associated Art & Design, has been taken on as a Data Technician, and James Chapman, who graduated in 2010 with a degree in Environmental Management and Physical Geography, has been employed as a Field Technician. “When I graduated there were very few jobs around,” said 23-year-old Hannah. “I wanted to do something that was related to my degree, so when this came up it was perfect. I’m using a lot of the skills that I learnt at university.” James added: “My lecturer kept in touch after I left and emailed me to say that this company was looking for graduates. I applied and got the job. I spend most of my time in London working on the Thames Tideway Tunnel Scheme. It’s hard work but I enjoy it.” The University of Worcester has the highest graduate employment rate for any university in the West Midlands and the 6th best in England.
newsandviews@worc.ac.uk / MARCH 2011 / 7
NEWS
University Selected as
Regional Centre for wheelchair Basketball T
he Great Britain Wheelchair Basketball Association (GBWBA) has selected the University following its good practice in promoting and developing disabled sport. The University will now take the lead in the region in hosting training and coaching sessions, running regional tournaments, raising awareness and disseminating good practice, and developing young players. Craig Williams, Sport & Recreation Facilities Manager, said: “This builds on all the good work that we have been doing at the University of Worcester in this area. The award is recognition for the hard work put in by a number of key partners who have come together to promote and develop the sport. “The University receives excellent support from GBWBA, the Worcester Wolves Basketball Club, Bromsgrove District Council Sports Development team, the Herefordshire & Worcestershire County Sports Partnership, Hereford United Football Club and the English Federation of Disability Sport. Together we currently have three satellite centres across
Herefordshire and Worcestershire delivering coaching in wheelchair basketball. We will now be looking to widen that out across the region in attempt to introduce the sport to a host of potential new players.” Jay Popat, British Wheelchair Basketball Club Development Manager, said: “We are delighted that the University of Worcester will be playing a key role in the development of wheelchair basketball in the region. Their commitment and passion for the development of game has been most impressive and we look forward to continuing our work with them.” The University is currently running a campaign to build a state-of-theart new sports arena for the City, which will be designed with disability sport at its heart. “The development of the new Arena will really help to establish the wheelchair basketball centre and to develop the game further,” Mr Williams said. “We already do a lot of work with local schools introducing the game and developing players, many of who could one day become international players.” Worcester Wolves Basketball Club, which is based at the University, is looking to develop a wheelchair side, which will take in players from across the region. As part of the University’s role as the regional centre, it will also take a lead in developing Inclusive Zone Basketball (IZB) a new concept where able bodied and disabled players can play alongside each other.
Football fanatics with ambitions to become a coach or referee can get involved in two new courses
T
he University has been selected to host the Football Association’s UEFA Football Coaching Award (level 3) this summer.
The national qualification is a minimum requirement for anyone looking to get into Premier League Football Academies. The University is one of only 16 venues outside of the professional game in the Country chosen to host the course this year, and one of only two in the West Midlands. The course will start in August on the University’s new Third Generation astroturf. The University will also be hosting a three-day refereeing course later this month. Funded by the University and Worcestershire County FA, it will see students initially trained as Level 9 referees with 8 / MARCH 2011 / newsandviews@worc.ac.uk
structures in place to advance to level 7 by the end of the current football season. The Football Association (FA) estimates that in some areas of the country, 20 per cent of games are played without a qualified match official. The FA National Game Strategy goal is to recruit 8,000 new referees by 2012 as well as retain the existing 26,000 officials to ensure that in future, every game has a qualified official. Craig Williams, the University’s Sports & Recreation Facilities Manager and FA Tutor, said: “With the excellent support of the Worcestershire FA’s development team, University students and community coaches within the County have the chance to gain a wide range of qualifications and experience that can only help to further the game here in Worcestershire.”
NEWS
University of Worcester Students Help Fight Doorstep Crime D
igital Arts students from the University of Worcester have worked with Trading Standards to produce a DVD raising awareness of Doorstep Crime.
The DVD entitled ‘Rogue Traders Ruin Lives’ was created by three final year students after Central England and East Midlands Trading Standards (CEnTSA) approached the University. The aim was to create a film highlighting the seriousness of this type of crime. Andy Jones, James Macey and Ross Hannis produced the documentary, which features interviews with Trading Standards Officers, victims and police officers, as well as featuring actual CCTV footage of a doorstep crime. The 15 minute film, launched earlier this month, is now being used as an awareness training tool for organisations and professional agencies who work with the elderly and vulnerable adults. The shorter version of the documentary is being featured on Trading Standards websites across the Midlands to raise understanding of the crime, and it was also used on Smooth FM’s website during a month long awareness raising campaign. Helen Holmes, Digital Arts Live Project Coordinator at the University, said: “This kind of project is invaluable to students. Working with victims of serious crimes needed care and sensitivity together with technical accuracy and confidence – there was only one chance to get that clip. “One of the elderly victims had suffered a stroke following a doorstep visit from a rogue trader, and if we in any way can help prevent this kind of crime happening, it will be an amazing result. It was a great opportunity for the Digital Arts Students to work with the community and help each other, whilst raising the profile of the quality of work we produce here.” John Beavon, Chair of CEnTSA, said: “The students and everyone concerned with the production of the DVD should be very proud as it has resulted in a very professional and powerful piece of work, which highlights the fact that Doorstep Crime is a serious crime. This is a marvellous addition for Trading Standards Officers to use in raising awareness amongst fellow professionals, in recognising tell-tale signs and then reporting the matter to Trading Standards.”
Worcester Arena Given Thumbs Up by City Planners
Worcester Academic’s Work Published in InternationallyRenowned Journal
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round-breaking research conducted by, among others, an academic from the University of Worcester has been published in the world’s leading science journal. Dr Mahmut Tor was one of nine authors to publish a paper exploring the biological clock and immune systems of plants. The paper was accepted by Nature, which is generally regarded as the best science journal in the world. All living organisms, from bacteria, fungi and plants, to human beings, are organised by an internal clock that controls biological activities. The research published in Nature reports that the plants can defend themselves against infections with the help of the clock. The research demonstrated that plants are more resistant to disease in the early morning as they can predict when dawn will occur. This is the time when plants are most at risk from pathogens and so they need to employ their defence mechanisms. Dr Tor, a scientist in the University’s National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit (NPARU), said: “This research could help devise new ways to manage diseases, inform farmers about when to spray their crops to have maximum impact and will also change all previous thinking about plant disease.” Professor John Newbury, Head of the University of Worcester’s Institute of Science and the Environment, said: “Nature is generally regarded as the best science journal in the world and it is very difficult to get a paper accepted in to it. Having staff who have published in the journal has a very positive impact on our academic reputation.” Dr Mike Wheeler, Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry and Genetics at the University, has also previously had a paper published in Nature.
City planners have granted approval for a state-of-the-art sports arena developed by the University of Worcester. The Worcester Arena will be situated at the old fruit and veg market on Hylton Road, between the University’s St Johns and City campuses. Plans for the Arena were called “fantastic” by members of Worcester City Council’s planning committee. Willmott Dixon has been contracted to develop designs and estimate costs before construction begins. The Arena fundraising campaign has already been awarded a
£250,000 grant from the Trustees of the Foundation for Sport and Arts and more than £40,000 has been received from personal donations. As part of the fundraising efforts, the University has launched a Buy-a-Brick scheme inviting individuals and companies to leave messages of support displayed on a commemorative wall. To find out about more about fundraising events or to make a donation, contact Beth Heaney, Development Officer, on 01905 542273 or email b.heaney@worc.ac.uk
newsandviews@worc.ac.uk / MARCH 2011 / 9
NEWS
Changing World of Agriculture Explored by Worcester Professor Professor Nick Evans delivered his inaugural professorial lecture on the topic of ‘Pigs, plastic, post-productivism and pluriactivity: minding the Ps whilst researching farming Qs.’ Professor Evans, who is Director of the University’s Centre for Rural Research, said: “Somewhat curiously, my work in the field of agricultural geography has mainly been involved with topics commencing with the letter P! I first became involved researching the geography of agriculture when post-war ‘productivism’ was still the dominant idea: where farming was focused entirely on producing food. “Abruptly, this changed in the late 1980s due to large food surpluses. My doctorate research reflected farming’s shift to ‘pluriactivity’, investigating the importance of farm-based tourism. “Combining productivism and pluriactivity, my attention then turned to livestock keeping. Certain pig breeds were used as tourist attractions but the number of breeds had declined dramatically. I was interested to
discover whether or not pigs, such as Gloucestershire Old Spots, really did still survive mainly in Gloucestershire! “Some commentators used these non-food activities of farmers to argue that agriculture was now in a ‘post-productive’ era. I disagreed. The new challenges facing humanity: food security, climate change and sustainabity; bear this out. In meeting these global concerns, some farmers have started to use plastic polytunnels to grow food, but this is proving to be highly controversial.”
Professor Nick Evans
New DVD Aims to Improve Communication for People Living with Dementia
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new DVD aimed at helping healthcare staff communicate better with people living with dementia is to be launched in Worcestershire. Stand by Me is aimed at raising awareness and improving the quality of communication by health care staff with people living with dementia and their families. It will be premiered on Thursday, March 17 at the Artrix Theatre in Bromsgrove, when dementia campaigner and journalist John Suchet will compere the evening. The DVD has been created through collaboration between NHS Worcestershire, Herefordshire PCT, the University of Worcester Association for Dementia Studies and North East Worcestershire (NEW) College. The DVD consists of a series of minifilms reflecting a wide range of realistic situations, including someone being cared for in their own home, someone being cared for in a care home setting, and someone admitted to an acute hospital.
The scripts were developed from a series of focus groups involving health and social care staff and people with dementia and their families. Most of the actors in the films are real-life health and social care staff from across Herefordshire and Worcestershire, family carers and people with dementia. Professor Dawn Brooker, Director of the University of Worcester’s Association for Dementia Studies, said: “The idea for the project and the methodology to support it comes from a programme from Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia, which I was involved in. They developed a DVD training resource entitled ‘Come into my World’. We are working collaboratively with Flinders in evaluating the impact of the resource.” Amanda Edwards, NHS Herefordshire lead for Dementia, said: “We were delighted to have been involved in the production of this DVD which we hope will help remove the stigma associated with dementia. “Locally, dementia is one of the biggest challenges facing health professionals and hopefully this DVD will help carers and family members diagnose the condition more quickly.”
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Stand by Me DVD to be launched on 17 March. Dementia campaigner and Honary graduate, John Suchet will compere the evening
NEWS
Research
Seminar Programme All staff and students are welcome to attend Date
Time
Presenter*
Title
Venue
Institute
15th February
1.15pm
Dr Lee Byrne
A protein that hugs
EE 1026
ISE
17th February
1.15pm
Lucy Aphramor (Coventry University)
A case for change? The science of dieting and ‘health at every size’ The power of persuasion: cellular communication in plants Toward an embodied film theory The place of communication and consumption: cultural geographies of cinema exhibition and attendance in contemporary rural Australia Habit as a mediator of the environment-behaviour relationship in children’s physical activity
EE G087
IHS
EE 1026
ISE
WB 137
IHCA
WB 137
IHCA
HB 1007
IHS
Local food networks and food security: where now for policy in the UK?
EE 1026
ISE
(tbc)
EE 1107
IHS
A concrete sense of place: punk and the city
WB 137
IHCA
The living theories of educational researchers
BY G196
IoE
ISES Staff-Student Research Summit
EE G135
ISES
22nd February 1.15pm
Dr Mike Wheeler
23rd February
5pm
2nd March
5pm
Dr Paul Elliott Karin Aveyar (Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia)
10th March
1.15pm
15th March
21st March 21st March 23rd March 30th March
Erica Thomas
Dr Damian Maye (University of Gloucestershire) Charlotte Paterson 12.30pm (Universities of Exeter and Plymouth) 5pm Dr John Parham Prof. Jack Whitehead 4pm (University of Bath) 9am – 2pm 1.15pm
30th March
5pm
Prof. Jean Webb
Hungry cities: a discussion of contemporary approaches towards the environment in contemporary English children’s literature
WB 137
IHCA
12th April
1.15pm
Dr Cheryl Jones and Prof. Derek Peters
A walk in the park
EE 1026
ISE/ ISES
13th April 13th April
1.15pm 5pm
The Food Dudes healthy eating programme Handling Ophelia
EE 1107 WB 137
IHS IHCA
5th May
1.15pm
Talking to inpatients on eating disorder wards about recovery and the future
EE 1106
IHS
Charlotte Taylor Dr Nicoleta Cinpoes Helen Malson (University of the West of England)
w/c 9th May 18th May
4pm
22nd June
4pm
Ms Janet Orchard (University of Oxford)
Business School Research Day (tbc) More than a craft: the role of philosophy in the professional education of teachers PhD Students in Education: A presentation of doctoral research work
City Campus WBS EE G020
IoE
BY 1147
IoE
* University of Worcester, unless otherwise stated IHS = Institute of Health & Society ISE = Institute of Science & the Environment ISES = Institute of Sport & Exercise Science IHCA = Institute of Humanities & Creative Arts IoE = Institute of Education WBS = Business School
inspired for life
www.worcester.ac.uk newsandviews@worc.ac.uk / MARCH 2011 / 11
NEWS
An evening of sporting success S
ports stars from the University of Worcester have been acknowledged at Worcester City Council’s Annual Sports Awards.
The ceremony, held at Worcestershire County Cricket Club, took place on February 2nd. Sixteen awards were given out in recognition of sporting contribution. Worcester Blind Football Club received the prestigious Club of the Year Award. The Club, based at the University of Worcester, has won the Blind National League title twice in the past three years. Twenty year-old Jess Stone, from Church Stretton, Shropshire, received the Higher Education Sport Award for achievements in Downhill Mountain Biking and Boxing. Jess, currently studying Sports and Exercise Science at the University of Worcester, holds the title of 2010 UK National Downhill 1. Dave Mycock 2. Jess Stone Mountain Biking Champion. Recently she also scooped a gold medal at the British 3. Lewis Skyers 4. Sporting winners Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) championship for boxing. She will be competing in the 2011 UCI Downhill Mountain biking World Cup this summer. Former University of Worcester student Lewis Skyers was also honoured at the event as Disability Sports Person of the Year. Lewis was selected as goalkeeper for the England Blind Futsal team and plays for Worcester in the national league. Will Norman, part of the England and Great Britain Blind Football squad was guest speaker at the event. Will is a Widening Participation Officer at the University of Worcester.
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Can you help? April White, from the Institute of Sport and Exercise Science, has contacted the University with some very sad news following her daughter Abi’s further MRI scan. Abi’s cancer is now terminal and clearly there are no words to describe how they are feeling. The support from across the University has been brilliant so far. More than ever – we need to be there for them in prayers, thoughts and support as both colleagues and friends. They have to move house in the next couple of weeks and clearly the timing is far from ideal . We are organising a collection to help with removal costs and payments can be made at the Finance Office to ‘the Apes and Abs’ fund. Any contributions will be warmly received.
Congratulations! The Deputy Vice Chancellor is pleased to announce that over the past few months Associate Heads of Institute have been appointed in each of the Academic Institutes. Associate Heads of Institute will work closely with the Heads of Institute in leading and managing and will also contribute to major initiatives across the University such as driving forward the outcomes from the Autumn Conference on Student Learning.
We should congratulate: Institute of Education: David Flint; Ann Jordan and Hugh Somervell Institute of Health & Society: Jan Quallington and Dominic Upton Institute of Humanities & Creative Arts: Maggie Andrews Institute of Science and the Environment: Heather Barrett and Des McDougall Institute of Sport & Exercise Science: Will Bowen-Jones, Gareth Jones, Vanessa Jones Worcester Business School: Marilyn Hunt, Klaus Oestreicher, Warren Wright
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COVER STAFFSTORY FEATURE
This month we chat to secret rock star and talented songwriter Viv Bell, a lecturer in the University’s Business School.
Computer Whiz to Rock Chick: Life could have been so different for Viv Bell had it not been for a faulty sound system, which scuppered her chances of rock stardom. The wannabe rock star was due to perform in front of the manager of top Newcastle band The Animals, who was considering signing up her band 7 to Midnight. But disaster struck and the PA system broke down, ruining their chance to shine. “Maybe I would have been a rock star, but it was not to be,” Viv said with a wry smile. Between 1985 and 1990 the band produced three albums and gigged extensively in the North East.
Viv (front centre)
“There are still people who enquire about my old music,” she said. “Recently someone sent me an album they had made which had one of my songs on it, which was a fantastic honour.” Viv’s musical interests started at school, when at the age of 15 her boyfriend taught her to play the guitar. Her father, a jazz pianist, encouraged her and she began to sing and write music as well. “I love music, it has been a huge part of my life,” she said. “I really enjoyed my days with the rock band, I have a lot of fond memories.” Viv’s musical career still lives on today. Five years ago she started a new folk band, called Horizon Lights, with University of Worcester lecturer Andrew Rothery. “I heard Andrew and Tracey Richards playing a song in the then music room at the University and went along to speak to them,” she said. “The band then grew out of that.” “We do our own interpretation of traditional music from all over the world,” Viv added. “We rehearse every week and then perform at a range of charity events and private functions.” Viv’s other passion in life is her two horses, Tarzan and Sweep. “I started riding when I was about eight years old,” she said. “I gave up for about 15 years when I had my daughter, and then started again in the late 1980s. “I now compete most weekends at dressage and jumping.”
Viv and Sweep
What do you get up to when you leave the Campus? Email Sally Jones with your interesting stories s.jones@worc.ac.uk
newsandviews@worc.ac.uk newsandviews@worc.ac.uk / NOVEMBER / MARCH2009 2011 / 13