Students set for Wild
West TV success
by Gary Skentelbery
THREE Warrington based media students are set to have their work screened on TV this weekend as part of their degree course.
The “Three Amigos” Amber Comerford, 24, Andrea Vaughan 24, and Louise Kenworthy, 22, all post-graduate students on a MA TV Production course at University College Chester’s Padgate campus, spent three months working on their production of “The Wild North West.”
The programme gives a fascinating insight into the Country and Western scene in the North West and will be screened on Granada this Sunday (September 19th) at 12.35 pm.
Carried out as part of the college’s flagship Granada Media Educational Partnership, it is one of only three student productions to be chosen for screening across the whole North West.
The three students have been involved in every aspect of the film, from concept, to camera work, sound engineering and editing.
Senior Lecturer Wayne O’Brien, said: “It is a remarkable piece of work considering the girls have been involved in every aspect of producing this film. There are a lot of people working full-time in the Tv industry who will not have had a chance to do a complete film.”
During their production the students visited Fort San Antone at Lytham St Anne’s, the largest Country and Western Venue in Europe, where they met some interesting characters who appear on the film, including one woman who visited for a weekend and ended up living at the site for five years!
They also met Warrington based Country and Western singer/songwriter Lorna Flowers, who has since left the town to further her career in Nashville, U.S.A. Spanish born Andrea, who currently lives in Oakwood, Warrington, said: “We certainly had a great lot of fun making this film and met a lot of interesting characters.
“One of the most amusing incidents was when we all had a go at being quick on the draw. It was taking us about two minutes to get the guns out of the holsters while the experts were doing it in a split second!
“A lot of the people we met believed they were real cowboys,” she added.
Now all three students are hoping to further their careers in TV and are currently looking for work.
St Peter’s centre
of attention!
by Gary Skentelbery
A Warrington community group is celebrating after being shortlisted as one of eight finalists in the Waste Recycling Group Village and Community Hall Challenge.
The St Peter’s Community group could be one of two groups in line for a grant of up to ?250,000 in funding towards their very own village hall or community centre and are guaranteed a minimum of ?50,000 towards their project.
The innovative challenge, sponsored by Waste Recycling Group Ltd, attracted over 140 entries and was launched in Cheshire in March 2004 by Gwyneth Dunwoody MP. The total challenge funding of ?800,000 comes from the Landfill Tax credits of Waste Recycling Group Ltd, administered and distributed by Environmental Body Wren.
The Landfill Tax Credit Scheme (www.ltcs.org.uk) currently gives waste management companies the opportunity to invest up to 6.8% of their Landfill Tax bill into community and environmental, projects in their immediate area.
Dave Eatock, who represents the bid put in by the St Peters Area Residents & Tennants Association in conjunction with the Irish Democratic Club and Warrington Borough Council, is delighted to be in with a chance of winning a quarter of a million pounds: “This is tremendous news for local people and organisations because even if we fail to win the big prize we will still gain funding support up to ?50,000 and that will provide benefits for the community.
“We now face a nervous wait to see if we’ve won with the winning communities announced at the Houses of Parliament on the 28th April next year,” added Mr Eatock.
Mike Snell, General Manager of External Affairs with Waste Recycling Group Ltd, explained: “The challenge has proved to be a fantastic success with high levels of interest across England, Scotland and Wales.
“Selecting the eight finalists by using an expert and impartial panel of people has proved to be a very difficult job with all of the many entries providing a quality community-focused application,” added Mike.
The Landfill Tax credits of Waste Recycling Group Ltd have, since 1998, helped to renovate and refurbish almost 500 village halls across the UK with ?7 million in funding. Organisations seeking funding can contact Wren for more details on 01953 717165 or visit www.wren.org.uk
New college course
fills skills gap
by staff reporter
STUDENTS on pioneering new courses at Warrington Collegiate will be guaranteed job interviews to help relieve a skills shortage of legal secretaries in the town.
Shadow Education Minister Mark Hoban and local solicitor Fiona Bruce, who highlighted the skills deficit, were on hand to help launch two new courses at the Collegiate in partnership with Warrington Law Society, to encourage more people to join the profession.
Mr Hoban said: “It is fascinating to see how business and education can work together to meet the needs of employers and students.”
Fiona, who set up Fiona Bruce and Co. Solicitors in Stockton Heath and is also a local borough councillor, added: “Without good quality support staff a team doesn’t work so well. I know from my own experiences that there is a real need for legal secretaries in Warrington.
“It is important for students to know that at the end of their course there are real jobs waiting for them – and with around 30 law firms in the Warrington area there will be plenty of opportunities. This is a win, win, win project for everyone involved.”
The qualifications (the ILEX Legal Secretaries’ Certificate and the ILEX Legal Secretaries’ Diploma) aim to provide opportunities for students to develop the knowledge and skills required for employment in the legal office.
The courses also allows students to develop administrative skills and an awareness of the legal environment and in addition, they are encouraged to undertake a period of work experience during their study to aid their learning experience.
Principal Paul Hafren added: “It is quite appropriate that we should re-launch these courses in our new training restaurant at the Winwick Road Campus as it clearly demonstrates our commitment to vocational education and training.
“The fact that there are guaranteed job interviews at the end of the courses will help spur students on.”
Chance to meet
Dirtbusters!
WARRINGTON Council’s Neighbourhood Services are holding a fun-filled open day for communities across the town tomorrow (Saturday September 18) at the Town Hall providing an opportunity to meet the stars behind Granada’s ‘Dirtbusters’.
Taking place from 2pm-5pm it will also provide an opportunity to see the new 26 tonne refuse and blue bin recycling vehicles in action. Children can also meet the drivers and see how the vehicles work! Warrington Wolves mascot Wolfie will also be on hand to make sure the day goes with a swing!
There will be free refreshments, courtesy of Warrington School Meals Service, children’s rides and lots of raffles, candyfloss, and freebies for a family funday out!
MP supports
lung campaign
Warrington North MP Helen Jones has lent her support to the British Lung Foundation’s Little Lungs are for Life awareness week.
The aim is to raise the awareness of critical respiratory conditions such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), chronic lung disease (CLD), bronchiolitis and asthma, as well as highlighting the breathing problems that the 40,000 premature babies born each year can suffer from because their lungs are not fully developed.
Information packs have been sent to all neonatal baby units and it is hoped that attention will be drawn to the fact that children’s lungs are fragile an
d it is vital they are protected as much as possible.
Helen said: “One key message of the campaign is to inform parents and parents to be, of the simple steps that can be taken to protect their baby’s lungs and significantly reduce the risk of them developing respiratory illness in later life. Simple precautions such as not smoking near your baby, disposing of used tissues promptly, keeping siblings with cold symptoms away from your baby and washing your baby’s toys regularly are a few of the steps that can be taken to reduce the risk.”
Smoking near babies increases their risk of inhaling smoke passively and developing wheezing, influenza, and asthma. Viruses are proven to live and grow on used tissues. Viruses including RSV can live from four to seven hours on contaminated surfaces such as toys.
Chalk the
town red!
VISITORS to Warrington town centre tomorrow (Saturday) have a chance of chalking the town red at the Golden Square Shopping Centre.
Following the success of last year’s event, art enthusiasts are being invited to try out their skills for a one-day Pavement Artist event in the Old Market Place at Golden Square from 10am until 3pm.
Each person taking part will be given chalks to draw their own picture on four pavement slabs before judging takes place at 3pm.
The event has been organised by the Warrington Arts Council and there will be prizes ranging from ?50 to ?10 for the best drawings.
There will be a separate category for children with three prizes of ?10 for the best entries.
Organiser Ron France, a member of Warrington Arts Council, said: “We are looking forward to seeing even more entrants at this year’s event. It’s such a fun way of showing people that art is an amazing hobby that doesn’t need too many tools to take part in.”
Andrew Ward, Golden Square Shopping Centre Manager, said: ”This is great fun for everyone. You don’t have to be a budding Picasso to have a go. Come along, grab a piece of chalk and see where the inspiration takes you.”
Anyone wanting to take part should turn up on the day. Entry is free and artists can choose their own subject for their pavement design.
