Dorset Fire Brigade offer advice to students

Dorset Fire and Rescue were on hand this week to offer advice to Bournemouth University students regarding fire safety.

The stand, which provided information ranging from smoke alarms to how to fireproof your home, were promoting free fire hazard inspections to students.

John Gaunt, Crew Manager of Dorchester fire station, stated: “We don’t get called to student houses very often but when we do it is normally very serious”.

He also highlighted the problems of some student housing with problems from estate agents.“We have come across places that haven’t had adequate safety checks. But we can inspect the premises and make appropriate recommendations”.

He added that the main reason for fires in student accommodation is the vast amount of equipment that students now own."If students attempt to cook after drinking too much then fires are going to happen, but if you take specific precautions then it could be the difference between life and death".

Caroline Atkins - Feature

Five years ago, Caroline Atkins set a world record opening partnership in international cricket and yet just three games later, she was dropped from the England set-up. Now, Atkins is back, and is out to prove that she belongs on the international stage.

"Only thirty seconds to go and the pain will be over", or at least that is what I tell myself as I carry out my pitiful attempt at a press up. It is University circuit training and by some cruel twist of fate, I’ve ended up with my least favourite exercise to round off the session. "Twenty seconds!" a voice cries from the background, as my aching muscles valiantly try to muster one last effort. "Its no good" I think to myself inches from collapsing, when I hear the same voice shouting the times say, "Keep going, you can do it". Alas although my mind wants to take heed of the voice’s advice, my body can’t take anymore and within the blink of eye I’m in a heap on the floor.

The voice is in fact that of Caroline Atkins, international cricketer and head of Strength Conditioning at Bournemouth Univeristy. But although she is a reliable leader at circuit training, trying to track the England international down proves to be a difficult task. "No-one knows where anyone is in this place", jokes a representative on reception. Thankfully, after much searching, I do eventually find her, albeit swamped by a group of rugby players. "It’s a tough job but I enjoy it, it provides balance in my life, and when that balance exists, that’s when the cricket starts to go well", she tells me. The right mix of work and cricket is certainly beginning to pay off, with Atkins holding down a regular test and one-day place since 2005. A major feat considering there her England career looked in jeopardy when she was dropped in both forms of the game in 2002.

Due to the busy nature of the department on a Tuesday (the day before all the sports teams compete) we’ve had to seek refuge in the cafeteria. But for Atkins it comes with the territory and how far Bournemouth has come in the time that’s she’s been there. "We’re starting to build a reputation now and it is exciting to be a part of". As she speaks there’s a sense of pride in her work, and enjoyment from the nature of her job. Success away from the cricket pitch it seems certainly appears to have brought success on it.

As is the case with any top-flight sporting career though, the path to that success is far from straightforward and Atkins is no exception. After enjoying unprecedented success at county level, Atkins was thrust into the limelight in 2001 making her test debut against Australia at the age of 21. And after setting a world record for an opening partnership with Aaran Brindle against India, things were looking promising for the future. But just three games later, in January 2002, Atkins found herself dropped from the England set-up and worse still came under heavy criticism from the media who accused her of not scoring quickly enough. "It was frustrating at the time as I was just starting to enjoy some success with England, and of course setting the world record goes down on a personal level as a career highlight. But I can accept it when someone doesn’t think I’m good enough. And if anything in the time I was out I became a stronger person and better cricketer because of it". From the way she reminisces on the decision, there’s not a hint of resentment present in her voice. Just that of optimism for the future, what’s done is done, and now its time to look forward.

During her three years out of the international scene, Atkins set about rebuilding her career and in early 2005 the breakthrough came in the form of a call up to the MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) Young Cricketers scheme based at Lords. "I was at the home of cricket everyday, you can’t help but hit the ball then". Another key factor that came with her time at the MCC was rediscovering her passion for the sport. "I was enjoying it again. I was getting too caught up in worrying whether I was ever going to get another chance with England. Thankfully it did and it came at a time when I was getting better and better". Atkins was rewarded with a re-call for the tour to India in 2005, and hasn’t looked back since.

As Atkins strides off with the air of someone going places, no doubt with another crowd of sports students lurking around the corner, it is hard to bet against her achieving great things in the future. And with the small matter of defending the Ashes next year and competing in the 2009 World Cup, she has the ideal opportunity to show that she truly belongs on the international stage.

Croydon Harriers Promotional Video

In 2006, I put together this promotional video for my A-Level Media Studies project and also my athletics club Croydon Harriers.

It won an award for "Best Promotional Video" at the Wilson's 6th Form Media Oscars 06!



Grade: A

Subways Press Release (Fictional Story)

Urgent meetings are to be held between senior figures in Oxdown, in a bid to improve the subways at James Street.

Phillip Rush, Chairman of the Oxdown Chamber of Trade, confirmed it was looking to meet Oxdown Council and Police, to take "drastic action" to re-energise the subways.

He claimed that muggers, vandalism, litter, graffiti and beggars have tarnished the reputation of the subways and they are not prepared to let the situation further deteriorate. "We believe we have one of the best shopping centres in the region, and we want to encourage people to visit us, not to see them put off", Mr Rush stated.

The action comes just a week after an elderly man suffered a blow to the head, during a scuffle with a group of teenagers, in the James Street subways.

Although the man is making a good recovery and his head wound is not serious, its just one of a series of incidents that has given the subways a bad reputation.

The subways linking Oxdown Bus Station with the town market and shopping centre have now become a prime location for muggers to target passing shoppers.

Other proposals that the Chamber aims to bring forward are plans to re-decorate the subways with murals and reduce the amount of rubbish presently left there.

It is thought that the deteriorating state of the pedestrian links has led to many residents avoiding using the subways, which have been in place since 1995.

No Feeback As Of Yet

Animal Cruelty Case

A married couple has had their ban from owning pets reduced from 5 years to 2, after their appeal case at Bournemouth Crown Court yesterday.

Mr Recorder Fitton QC ruled that the behaviour of Mr and Mrs White, of Pine Road in Corfe Mullen, Dorset, ruled the ban was "appropriate but not for 5 years".

The case came to court after Neil and Selina White pleaded guilty, in January, to causing unnecessary harm to their pet cat Elliot, which was resultantly put down.

Concerned neighbours called the RSPCA, who discovered the Persian cat with a severe maggot infestation under its skin and faeces over its body.

The prosecutor, Barrister Richard Martin, quoted the RSPCA description of Elliot stating that "the maggots had eaten its back left leg".

The Whites were fined £500 each for their part but wanted to appeal against the ban imposed, which now leaves their other two cats to being re-homed.

The defence, Barrister Robert Griffiths argued that Elliot’s health had only deteriorated in the last few days of its life, in late August of last year.

Neighbour Lynn Riggs, has been the White’s neighbour for eight years, and said, when called to the stand, "They have always cared for Elliot and their pets".

Barrister Griffiths also told the court that the Whites had locked the Persian cat up in the house for 3 months in order to groom it.

But Elliot grew increasingly restless at this and it could have contributed to it failing to groom itself in the last few days of its life.

RSPCA inspector Graham Hammond, who found Elliot, said, "Putting any animal to sleep is distressing, but at least its not suffering any more".

No Feedback as of yet

Cargo Ship & Ferry Crash (Fictional Story)

A collision between a cargo ship and a ferry has left Poole Harbour in chaos this morning, with two people dead and a toxic chemical leaking into the sea.

The victims, a man and a woman, in their 70's, both jumped into the sea seconds before a passenger ferry hitting a cargo ship.

The pair are rumoured to be related, although their identities are yet to be confirmed by Dorset Coastguard.

The remaining 30 passengers on the ferry though are safe, although some are suffering from hypothermia and shock.

There had been some doubt over the number of passengers that were safe, due to the confusion in the safety checks, but all passengers are now accounted for.

The situation at the Harbour worsened as it became clear that the chemical Lindane was leaking into the sea.

The highly toxic chemical, which is a banned pesticide in 52 countries, began leaking from the "Taurus" cargo ship after the collision.

The area has now been cordened off so the environment agency can assess the chemical's potential threat to life.

Tolden Lee, an environment agency spokesman said "it's vital that we can fully investigate into what has happened".

The beach has been evacuated and will remain so for the next 12 hours, altough could re-open sooner if the investigation goes to plan.

The incident happened at 10:15am when Taurus, which was in the wrong sea lane at the time, resultantly crashed into the chain link ferry in its path.

Torbay Seaway, the company of the cargo ship that was on its maiden voyage, have now taken full responsibility for the incident.

The managing director, Bridget Verdon stated: "We are an inexperienced team, there's no point in pretending, we are sorry".

Despite the doubt that now surrounds the company's future, Mr Verdon was quick to state that there would be "no scapegoats".

He also defended the company boldly stating that we will take "full corporate resonsibility" and a full internal inquiry in the coming weeks will be launched.

Tracksuit Saga Continues

Bournemouth University has announced that their sports tracksuits will not be delivered this year, due to problems with their suppliers.

The news leaves many of the University’s athletes with no alternative but to compete without them.

It comes as a blow to Bournemouth who are striving to be one of the top 25 sports Universities in the UK, by June this year.

The University has had a meteoric rise up the sports rankings since 2003, gaining almost 100 places to their current position of 36th.

As a result of this, looking professional when competing has become an all-important ingredient of success.

But this aspect has been difficult to fulfil with suppliers Surridge continuously failing to meet growing demand.
Jason Atkins, Head of Performance Sports, at Bournemouth accepted that the "suppliers have let us and our athletes down".

The problem has been ongoing for several years.

Lucy Fogarty, a first team hockey player, has experienced the delays and also the implications upon the team.

"Half the girls missed the order deadline by a few days and because of that, half of us have a tracksuit and the others don’t".

But even then, the 18 year-old added that an error was made with their order.

"We didn’t get the right shade that we wanted, so our socks don’t match our tops and we are still waiting for the replacements".

The lack of delivery has had ripple effect on the other faculties in the University.

Sports Psychology and Coaching Sciences student James Eccles was promised a free tracksuit with his course.

But with recent developments coming to a head, he feels pessimistic about his chances of this happening now.

"I haven’t been told anything about it since enrolling. We were told it would be a small compensation for the tuition fees, but it looks like that isn’t going to go through".

Mark: 70