International footballer Lucy Whipp proved she’s on the ball by securing a place on the prestigious Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS).
The 18-year-old, a student at Wigan’s Winstanley College, has managed to balance the demands of playing for Everton Ladies first team while studying for her A-levels.
She has also picked up 11 caps for England at various youth levels and played in the UEFA European Women’s Under-17 Championships last year.
Lucy plans to take a year out from studying after completing her exams this summer, but will during this time be able to make the most of football training facilities, physiotherapy, and sport psychology on offer at Liverpool John Moores University through the TASS scheme.
Lucy said: “I’m really pleased and proud to gain a place on the scheme, as it will be really helpful in my development as an athlete. I’ll continue to play for Everton Ladies first team and take a year out before deciding on a future career.”
Cap: Lucy Whipp playing against Iceland for the England under-17 side
Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton was guest of honour at a ceremony to mark the launch of a new hospitality and catering traineeship scheme by independent learning provider Hospitality Industry Training (HIT).
Mr Atherton, who runs awardwinning London restaurant Pollen Street Social, met with students during the event at Hospitality House, in London. The top chef was keen to throw his support behind HIT’s new trainseeships, as he started his career through the YTS (Youth Training Scheme) in the 1980s.
He said: “The great thing about the hospitality industry is that if you can show some passion and flair, you can go far. It’s crucial that young people are given the opportunity to get into this amazing industry. Traineeships like this enable people like me to take young people into the kitchen and give them a chance to grow.”
Cap: From left: Jason Atherton with HIT apprentices Jacobo Ameijenda, aged 27, and Ryan Hazell, 18, and HIT assessor Derren Mallet
A former Kingston College drama student is one of the stars of the latest television adaption of The Three Musketeers.
Howard Charles plays Porthos in the new big-budget BBC series, called The Musketeers, which is based on Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel.
The 30-year-old former national diploma and degree drama student left Kingston College in 2005, but has spoken about the crucial role it played in launching his acting career.
He said: “Potential is nothing unless you learn how to harness and channel it into something creative, making it happen, and it was Kingston that made me realise that.”
Carlos Santos, Howard’s film and TV lecturer at the college, said: “He was always a hard-working and very positive student, but also had a good balance between life and work. With a good sense of humour, I am looking forward to seeing him as Porthos in this new role.”
Peter Mayhew-Smith, college principal, said: “We’re enormously proud to see a talented and
able young actor like Howard Charles progress from Kingston College and into
a major role such as this.”
Cap: Howard Charles as Porthos Image provided by BBC/Outline Productions
A runner who had never taken part in a competitive race before competing in regional trials will represent the East Midlands at the British Colleges of Sport national championships.
Michael McDonald, aged 19, a public services student at Central College Nottingham, qualified by finishing second in the trials, after completing the 8.5km race at Brooksby College in 30 minutes and 30 seconds.
He said: “I often run for a long time, but don’t measure the distance. Winning or losing isn’t as important as just running, which is something I enjoy and keeps me happy.”
John Widdowson, the college’s sport academy manager, said: “Staff at the college had recognised the potential Michael had from the timed runs completed as part of his course.”
The British Colleges Sport national championships will take place at Bath University in April.
NHS boss Jeremy Hunt gave Farnham Sixth Form College a clean bill of health after being shown around the site.
The Health Secretary, who is also South West Surrey’s Tory MP, met principal Mike Potter and college director Jonathan Stewart during his visit.
Mr Hunt was full of praise for the college after being shown around its new music technology studio, which cost £125,000 to build and opened in October
last year. He was also shown around the biology and chemistry labs.
Mr Hunt said: “Speaking to Mike Potter about his aspirations, it is clear that at the heart of his vision lies his determination for every student to reach their potential.”
Cap: Rear, from left: Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and head of biology Jason Rynn with science students Daisy Middleton, Rachael Speed, and Meghan Glue, all aged 17
Teenager McAyla Johnston could not move a muscle when she woke up from a ten-day coma.
She had suffered severe head injuries after being hit by a car while crossing a road in Worcester in 2008.
Five years later and the 16-year-old excels at the javelin, shotput and discus to the extent that she harbours hopes of competing at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.
“Competing in the Paralympics really would be a dream come true,” she told FE Week.
McAyla, who is studying a level two diploma in sports at Worcester College of Technology, had to relearn how to eat, drink, read, write and walk after her terrible injuries.
And the lifelong sports fanatic noticed strength was returning faster to her upper body than legs, so decided to try out disabled athletics in 2009.
She won gold in all three events in the under-16 cerebral palsy Sport National Championships four years later. McAyla was allowed to compete in the competition as her walking difficulties are similar to those suffered by people with cerebral palsy.
She has now been selected for an elite training session at Loughborough University next month. It is organised by government agency Girls 4 Gold Disability Athletics, which aims to fast-track female athletes for Rio.
McAyla said: “I probably wouldn’t have believed it if someone had told me I would be in the running to go the Paralympics after I woke up from the coma. When I first came round, I was aware of what was going on around me but couldn’t talk or move.
“It took two months before I took my first step. I started getting use back of my upper body at around the same time and it turned out my arms were stronger than my legs.
“My arms have also been strengthened by things like pushing the wheels of my wheelchair around. I have always been a confident person and that hasn’t changed since the accident. I think that has helped me push myself with my recovery.”
McAyla could compete in the F37 Paralympics category, for athletes who can stand but have mobility problems, and her events all involve throwing from a standing position.
McAyla Johnston throwing the javelin
She credits mum Teresa, aged 43, dad David, 45, and sister Cortni, 10, with giving her the confidence to compete.
She also credits sports lecturer Stewart Colmer for advising her to apply to Girls 4 Gold Disability Athletics. During the training session at Loughborough University on February 1, McAyla will be put through a series of fitness tests and training sessions.
McAyla would not be worried about the national attention likely to come her way if she made it to the Paralympics, having already appeared on national television when she was presented the Daily Mirror’s Pride of Britain Teenager of Courage award in 2011 by David Beckham.
She was also chosen to carry the Olympic torch through Worcester ahead of the London Olympics and Paralympics in 2012. She said: “That was a pretty amazing experience. It gave me a little bit of a taste of what it could be like in Rio, although I know there will be a lot more people at the Paralympics and being cheered on while competing for my country would be a million times better.”
Cap for main pic: McAyla Johnston outside Worcester College of Technology
A group of students from Central Sussex College visited the swiss HQ of the European Organisation for Nuclear Research — home of the Large Hadron Collider.
BTec science, geography, biology, chemistry, physics and maths students learned about particle physics and electromagnetism at the centre, in Geneva, which is often referred to as the “largest physics lab in the world”.
Student Alice Sayers, aged 19, said: “We were impressed by the Universe of Particles — an exhibition [at the site] within a spherical building, built from recycled materials. Everything inside was spherical, and the pod-like chairs had speakers inside that explained particle physics.”
The learners also visited the nearby United Nations offices and took a boat trip on Lake Geneva.
Cap: Central Sussex College students outside the Universe of Particles exhibition centre. Inset left: Students and college staff inside the European Organisation for Nuclear Research
A college lecturer has ‘shrubbed off’ the competition to land a role as one of the presenters of a television show which aims to inspire viewers to save Britain’s garden heritage.
Matt James, from Cornwall’s Duchy College Rosewarne, is the shrub specialist on BBC Two show the Great British Garden Revival.
The series will feature episodes on cottage gardens, wildflowers, fruit trees, roof gardens, and water features.
Matt was featured in an episode screened earlier this month, speaking about the history of shrubs and reasons for their decline in popularity.
He said: “Shrubs are vital to our gardens, yet in recent years their popularity has declined in-part due to the trend for naturalistic meadow-inspired planting. I hope this programme will highlight their importance.”
Cap: Matt James presenting The Great British Garden Revival Pic: BBC/Outline Productions
