Students at a Staffordshire College finished in the top 10 of an artillery competition for the fourth year in a row.

A team from Buxton and Leek College took part in the Junior Leaders’ Naval Field Gun Challenge at naval base HMS Collingwood in Fareham, Hampshire.

In the competition teams raced to assemble an antique field gun, running with it, disassembling and reassembling it to get around a course, before dragging the gun home.

The 21 uniformed public services and sports BTec extended diploma students battled 15 other teams completing the challenge in 1min 31.35sec, to secure them 10th place.

Richard Robinson, lecturer on the course, said: “I’m immensely proud of all the students . . . many were well out of their comfort zone, especially having lost one of their crew members through injury. But they all pulled together to perform commendably on competition day.”

Featured image caption: Buxton and Leek College finished 10th in the Junior Leaders’ Naval Field Gun Challenge

Relay racing, tug-of-war, cricket and benchball — it was all in a day’s work for Cheshire students.

Around 40 entry level learners teamed up to take part in South Cheshire College’s annual sports day on its multi-use games area.

It was organised and supervised by students on the sport and active leisure BTec level one diploma course, under the guidance of sports lecturer Rob Pickersgill.

Students were split into four teams and went head-to-head in a host of sports, with the red team emerging victorious.

Jacqui Gregory, head of curriculum for entry level, which target students with learning difficulties and disabilities, said: “Our students thoroughly enjoyed the day and the opportunity to take part in some fun activities.

“We are very grateful to the entry level staff, learner mentors and sport and sports massage therapy students who supported the event and helped to make it such a great success.”

Featured image caption: Students and tutors join in the fun at South Cheshire College’s entry level sports day

A voice coach broke from her busy schedule warming up the vocal cords of tomorrow’s stars to train young singers in Kent.

Jai Ramage, vocal coach on The Voice, spent two days refining the talents of students at MidKent College.

Jai, who has also starred in a number of major West End musicals, taught students exercises to help to control breathing and to correct potential vocal faults.

“Young people who are just starting out do not normally have access to this kind of knowledge,” she said, conceding that she only learned the techniques in her early 30s.

“It would have helped me a great deal if I’d known them from the beginning.”

Musical theatre student Martin Fearon, 21, said: “I feel like I’ve definitely improved as a singer, even though she was only with us for two days. All of us on the course have raised our game as a result.”

Featured image caption: David Jarrett, Jade Adams, Ben Brooker, all 19, with coach Jai Ramage

Hampshire students were banking on their idea for a customised clothing to win a business award — and an iPod each.

And the team of Eastleigh College business and enterprise students won the Barclays Built for Business competition in which they pitched a business idea, working within a budget of £10,000.

Their idea was Revamp, a customising business for clothing and accessories.

The team was made up of 17-year-olds Catherine Sachdev, from Botley, and Karina Diaz, from Hedge End, and 19-year-old Amy Taylor, from Brambridge.

“All the other contestants told us what a good idea it was and that we should start up the business,” said Amy.

The team, with nine others, pitched their ideas to Ashok Vaswani, chief executive of Barclays Retail and Business Banking, and Sajid Javid MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury.

Featured image caption: Eastleigh College’s Revamp team, from left: Catherine Sachdev, Karina Diaz and Amy Taylor

A keen sportswoman from a Cheshire college has been selected to play for England in the Women’s Rugby League World Cup next month.

Danielle Bound, from Longford and a student at Warrington Collegiate, said she was “overwhelmed” with the news that she will play for her country at Headingley Stadium against stiff competition from Australia, France and three-time winners New Zealand.

“It’s a great honour,” said the 19-year-old who has played rugby seriously since she was 6.

“I’ve been with the England squad for over a year now, but this is definitely the high point of my international career.”

Alison Gallacher, lecturer in sport at Warrington Collegiate and Danielle’s personal tutor said: “I’m delighted with Danielle’s success. She is a really talented sportswoman who has juggled playing rugby at an elite level with her studies.”

Featured image caption: Danielle Bound is heading to the Women’s Rugby League World Cup

Two Cheshire dancers came in for life-changing news after bringing the house down with performances in The Immortal Swan.

Cronton Sixth Form College 18-year-olds Sophie Hind and George Cartwright were both offered places at Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (Lipa) after its head of dance Sarah E Baker saw the show.

George received a letter with an offer for a dance degree and Sophie was told she had been offered a full scholarship.

Sophie said: “Being part of the Professional Dance Programme [PDP] at Cronton has given me amazing training and opportunities.

“All my teachers have helped me achieve my goal of gaining a place at Lipa.”

Steven Musa, PDP programme leader, said: “The PDP is a unique and intensive practical course developed for both creative and technical dancers who hold the relevant performance skills for today’s dance industry, leading to training at a university, conservatoire or vocational dance schools.”

Featured image caption: Cronton Sixth Form College dance students Sophie Hind and George Cartwright perform in The Immortal Swan

A 34-year-old music technician’s dreams have come true as he joins the Status Quo line-up. Chris Henwood reports

Status Quo, the legendary rockers who have racked up 60 UK hits over nearly half a century, have turned to FE to find someone to bang their drums.

City and Islington College music technician Leon Cave has been named as the band’s new man with the sticks — or, as a band spokesperson said, “the new addition to Quo’s engine room”.

The 34-year-old multi-instrumentalist, who began working at the college in 2005, plays guitar, bass and drums, and has previously performed with the Beautiful South and the Francis Rossi band.

He has also played with Macara, Zen Baseballbat, Texas Chainsaw Orchestra, Hudson Swann and Carnival Messiah.

He said: “I have really persevered over the years to make it as a musician. Despite my age I never gave up, never lost my passion, and always kept believing that I would be able to be in the position that I am now.”

Leon also has worked with producers who have worked on records for Fat Boy Slim, Manic Street Preachers and Jamiroquai. They include Gregg Jackman (Seal, Prince), Bruce Wood (Nightmares on Wax), Charlie Russell (Athlete Jamiroquai), Howard Gray (Apollo 440, The Manic Street Preachers), John Fortis (Razorlight, Noisettes, Paulo Nutini), Cutfather & Joe (Jamelia, The Wanted), Lee Smith (The Cribs, Submotion Orchestra, Fat Boy Slim) and The Futz Butler (Audi, Coca Cola, Moonpig).

Leon first began drumming at 4, which was when his dad noticed that he had natural talent and could learn fast.

Now highly experienced, he plays more than 100 shows each year, including large pop gigs, radio performances, corporate functions and open air festivals.

Leon arrived in London from his native Cheshire in 2005 with £1,000 in his pocket and took a number of temporary jobs while gigging as much as he could across the capital.

After a year of temping he chanced upon a music lecturer from City and Islington College who encouraged him to apply for a job at the college as a music technician.

He has worked there since, preparing students for rehearsals and big events. Learners also shadow him to find out about the technical side of music production and performance.

He said: “It’s been rewarding working with such talented students for the past
eight years.

“By the time students finish their music courses at the college, they are more mature, more professional and their talents have been honed so that they are ready to begin working in the music industry.”

Leon debuted with Quo on May 25 in Frankfurt, Germany, at the start of their European tour. He replaces Matthew Letley, whose 13-year stint with the band ended with shows this year in Australia, New Zealand, Australia and Mexico.

Leon said he plans to keep working on his own material and hopes to one day record a solo album.

Featured image caption: City and Islington College music technician Leon Cave is Status Quo’s new drummer

Chris Morgan, a 30-year-old Stourbridge College Foundation Learning student, has been recognised for his classroom achievements by the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners.

The Princess Royal presented the award — which forms part of the annual City & Guilds Prince Philip medal ceremony — to Chris, from Halesowen, near Birmingham, for producing exceptional work on his horticulture course while undergoing treatment for leukaemia.

Lynn Glazzard, director at the Centre of Excellence for Foundation Learning at Stourbridge, said: “This was a wonderful achievement for Chris, and a marvellous opportunity for him and his family to attend the awards ceremony at Buckingham Palace.”

She added: “Chris’s conservation project allowed him to try new skills and we are all thrilled at the recognition he has received for his hard work.”

Featured image caption: The Princess Royal presents Chris Morgan with his award

A college in the Midlands is opening a purpose-built specialist academy with a curriculum focused on law, finance, accounting, banking and insurance.

Birmingham Metropolitan College (BMET) has started recruiting for its Professional Services Academy, with courses getting underway in September.

A number of city businesses have signed up to offer internships, mentoring by senior staff, workshop sessions, and ‘guru’ lectures.

Principal Dame Christine Braddock said the professional services sector could lose out as other sectors stepped up recruitment.

“We’ve seen in recent years that sectors — engineering, creative, health and digital come immediately to mind — have strengthened their response to recruitment challenges,” she said.

“At the same time, I thought many local youngsters were missing out on stimulating and well-paid jobs in professional services because they wrongly believed that it was a sector that welcomed only graduates.”

Featured image caption: Birmingham Metropolitan College principal Dame Christine Braddock signs up to the city’s new new Professional Services Academy. Pic: Daniel Graves