Blackburn College has joined forces with the council to highlight dangers of not wearing a seatbelt after a shocking new survey revealed 50 per cent of young people in the Borough admitted to not wearing one.

According to a road safety survey, more than half of the young people in Blackburn with Darwen admit to not wearing a seat belt when travelling in the car, with females admitting they wear one occasionally when travelling in the front seat or on a motorway.

As part of the Your Life Your Call initiative, an innovative campaign highlighting the consequences of not wearing a seat belt, Blackburn College students had the opportunity to witness a car that had been in a crash supported by young actors, complete with realistic injuries, who were travelling in the car.

Barry Griffiths, head of learner services at Blackburn College, said: “It’s really important we educate our students about the dangers of driving and not wearing a seatbelt.”

South Cheshire College has won a prestigious national standard.

The Crewe College has been awarded the New Engineering Foundation’s (NEF) STEM Assured status, which recognises excellence in the quality of scientific, technical mathematical and engineering delivery in education and training.

The standard places a particular emphasis on industry relevance and embedding STEM skills across a range of learning areas.

The award reflects the college’s determination to be at the forefront of the technical and scientific curriculum and desire to meet the needs of local and national employers. The NEF’s Dr Sarah Peers, who led the STEM Assured process, said: “This was a strong application showing evidence of good practice embedded at both lecturer and management levels of the college, with follow through in ensuring that provision meets the needs of employers and students.

South Cheshire College is only the fifth college in the country to be awarded STEM Assured status.

Media students at Havering College of Further and Higher Education are to host a BBC Question Time-style politics show after winning a national competition.

The college will be hosting a live webcast debate with politicians and celebrities on June 1. The programme will also be broadcast on the BBC Parliament channel.

The prize is the result of the college’s curriculum manager for Media, Andy Popperwell, entering a five minute edited clip of Havering Asks in the BBC’s annual Schools Questions and Answers competition.

The Havering Asks event was organised by the college and Havering Council during Local Democracy Week last September and involved a filmed debate with an audience of 150 young people and a panel of politicians and celebrities.

Mr Popperwell said: “This is an excellent achievement for the college. Our students and staff are excited to be working with the BBC on a live broadcast. Young people will be able to question politicians and celebrities on the issues which matter to them. It will be a fantastic insight into the industry for our media students.”

Outstanding students from Central Sussex College were recognised by FE Sussex, at a prestigious ceremony to celebrate the 2012 Spring Awards at the Hilton Brighton Metropole.

The college celebrated a record-breaking four winners and three runners-up – more than any other college in Sussex.

With a winner or runner-up in seven out of twelve categories, students from the Crawley and Haywards Heath campuses took centre stage throughout the evening, which is an annual celebration of achievement in academic and vocational education and training in Sussex.

As lead college at the event, Central Sussex College students also took part in the running of the evening.

Hospitality students served welcome drinks and the three course meal enjoyed by guests, AS Level Art students worked on sketches and paintings as guests looked-on during the drinks reception and AS Level Music students performed in the interval.

Charlene Stoute, a hairdressing student at the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London, has won a once in a lifetime opportunity, beating off stiff competition to work at the Olympic salon during the 2012 Games.

A competition, launched by Podium – the Further and Higher Education Unit for the 2012 Games – and London 2012 partner Procter & Gamble, appealed for eight Health and Beauty students to take on paid employment working as a Salon Junior in the Olympic Park during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Charlene won one of the highly sought after roles after writing a submission that explained why she wanted to be a Salon Junior at the Games.

She said: “Since starting out in hairdressing, I’ve always visualised working with celebrities and the best stylists, and now that dream has come true. I’m totally overwhelmed with this opportunity and want to thank all my tutors and the College for providing this opportunity.”

A life skills student at Doncaster College has returned from the European Down Syndrome Open Swimming Championships with a stack of medals.

Ben Sweeney is quite used to winning competitions around the world and has more than 800 hundred medals in his bedroom, so he has a dilemma of where to put his tally of eight Golds and one Silver from two days of competition at the Quays in Southampton.

Ben, who recently turned 19, clocked up two world records at the event.

He became the fastest in the world in the 100 metres breaststroke and the 50 metres backstroke.

Ben has been swimming since he was three-years-old and although he prefers the backstroke, he will turn his arm to the breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle events.

Ben is in his last year at college and wants to work with children as a coach but he wants to carry on swimming as well.

He said: “I just want to get better and better and make my family proud.”

A beautiful floral display has been created at Coventry Cathedral by tutors and students from Warwickshire College.

As part of the cathedral’s Flower Festival, floristry tutor Jane Benefield and ten students from the college’s Moreton Morrell centre decorated four of the altar candlesticks – which are nine feet tall – with their display designed around the four seasons.

Many of the elements of the design, such as lichens and pine cones, have been gathered from the college grounds.

Jane said: “We’ve been working on the designs since before Christmas so we’re looking forward to showing our display in such a beautiful building.

“This will be a really valuable experience for the students to be part of this major floristry event. The students have been involved in the design, planning and creation of the arrangements and we can’t wait to get started.”

A duo of skillful stylists are set to showcase their skills on the national stage.

Claire Heenan and Charlotte Moss, both students at City College Southampton, have made it through to the finals of the National Student Barber Competition 2012.

The pair, aged 18 and 30, will attend the national awards ceremony in London on May 14, where photographs of their work will be judged amongst the best in the country.

They will then find out if they have come out tops in the national competition.

Claire said: “I’m proud of getting through to the finals; it has been such a confidence boost. This opportunity is giving me exposure to competitions which is a great for my career.”

Charlotte added: “I’m amazed that I got through. It will be a great new experience. I entered a competition previously, but didn’t get through. Making the finals has rebuilt my confidence.”

Writtle College are preparing to play host to an innovative event to help children gain knowledge about the journey of their food from field to fork and raise awareness of the countryside around them.

The Essex Schools Food and Farming Day will be staged on May 24, with 3,000 primary schoolchildren and 500 teachers and assistants from all over Essex attending.

The aim is to get children out of the classroom and give them a better understanding of the food chain and the role played by farmers in Essex, as well as raising awareness of countryside and environmental issues.

Guy Smith, Essex farmer and chairman of the event steering group, added: “It is particularly rewarding that we get such a brilliant response from the schools. As farmers we are very proud that non-farmers take such an interest in what we do and want to know more.”