![FE Week celebrating FE in partnership with Empra
32 WWW.FEWEEK.CO.UK WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2014
CAMPUS ROUND-UP
WWW.FEWEEK.CO.UK
Call 01264 729581 Email hello@empra.co.uk Visit empra.co.uk @empra
Tongues will be wagging…
Making sure you get seen and talked about in all the right places
is crucial. Whether that’s through the material you produce or the
stories you tell. And it’s even more important that you have the
right support from an organisation that really understands your
market...
We are an award winning marketing communications company who have been helping schools and colleges get
the best results from all their marketing communications for more than 10 years, whether that’s branding, design,
PR, marketing campaigns, websites or social media and all the bits in between.
And because we only work in education we understand the language, issues and pitfalls you face, so we
can help steer you in the right direction and make sure you’re seen and talked about in all the right places,
for all the right reasons!
Exclusively Education
latest paid intern Alyce Mctigue
[pictured], aged 20, who is in her
final year of a journalism degree
at the Harlow, Essex, campus for
Anglia Ruskin University.
She spent the last five months
as a social media intern at
London-based fashion label
AngelEye, where she
tweeted about the brand’s
clothing and wrote a
fashion-based blog.
Alyce has worked
really hard with writing
and researching
articles for this
magazine. She has
a first-rate ‘can-do’
attitude which will
serve her well in
journalism.
She has also
helped with designing the pages
and learned about editing photos
through Photoshop.
Highlights of this week’s edition
include stories on a visit to Harlow
College by Labour Party leader Ed
Miliband and the former City
of Liverpool College drama
student co-starring with
Jude Law in a Hollywood
action movie.
Another article told
how level three public
services students
from Chichester
College were
encouraged to
hurl rocks in a
mock-riot for a
police training
exercise.
We also
reported on singer Tony Christie
posing for a portrait photo at
Walsall College after he was
contacted by a student through
Facebook and East Durham College
learner Leigh Newton winning two
world championship gold medals
at Thai boxing, just two years after
she took up the sport.
The feature is about agriculture
returning to the syllabus at
Berkshire-based BCA college after
a 13 year absence.
Shiny & new
FEWEEK
The only newspaper dedicated to further education and skills
SUBSCRIBE
£75
www.feweek.co.uk/subscription
annual subscribers will receive:
> FE Week newspaper sent each week to a UK address (36 editions in term-time)
> Online access to the current and archive newspapers (in hi-res PDF format)
> Special editions of FE Week at the end of each term
> Regular sector relevant events
> Email updates with the latest news, analysis, events and jobs
Edition 34
The FE Week team:
Editor: Chris Henwood
Guest editor: Alyce Mctigue
Training manager: Paul Offord
Head designer: Nicky Phillips
Designer: Rob Galt
Reporters: Freddie Whittaker
Rebecca Cooney
Photographer: Ellis O’Brien
Sales manager: Hannah Smith
Sales executive: Negar Sharifi
Administration: Frances Ogefere Dell
Financials: Helen Neilly
Victoria Boyle
Managing director: Shane Mann
Campus Round-Up is a sister publication of
the weekly newspaper FE Week — the only
newspaper dedicated to further education and
skills.
FE Week offers a two-week paid internship for
people who want to be journalists. Interns will
be guest editors for two editions of the Campus
Round-Up magazine, under the guidance of
training manager Paul Offord. E-mail us at
campus@feweek.co.uk to find out more.
If you are interested in placing a product or job
advert contact Hannah Smith. Details below:
E: hannah.smith@feweek.co.uk
T: 020 8123 4778
Send your stories with pictures to campus@feweek.co.uk including
names, ages and course details of students where applicableDo you want to be in Campus Round-up?
Welcome to CAMPUS ROUND-UP edition 34
campus@feweek.co.uk
@paulofford
Welcome to Edition 34 of our
Campus Round-Up digital
magazine.
The guest editor this week is our
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
Getting on their bikes to raise £2.3m for Children in Need
Further education learners John
Dunwell and Jessica Davies
helped raise £2.3m for Children in
Need through a gruelling cycling
challenge.
They raised the money as part of
a team of inspirational young people
sponsored to cycle 450-miles from
Salford, Manchester, to London, on
rickshaw bikes ahead
of the main BBC
fundraising
show hosted
by Terry
Wogan on
Friday
(November 14).
Leeds City College level two
food preparation and cookery
learner John Dunwell, aged 17,
was chosen for the challenge
after he competed in the British
Transplant Games at a variety
of sports including swimming
and badminton in 2012 and 2014,
after recovering from a kidney
transplant in 2011.
Level one vocational studies
learner Jessica Davies, 16,
from Northamptonshire-based
Tresham College, was chosen
for the team by BBC bosses in
recognition of her involvement
with the Dwarf Sport Association
(DSA), which is funded by BBC
Children in Need. John said: “It
was a shock to be picked for the
challenge.
“But I was happy to be able to
help out.”
Jessica said: “By funding the
DSA, Children in Need has really
had such a positive benefit on me,
so it was nice to have the chance
to return the favour.”Jessica Davies John Dunwell on his rickshaw](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/41bb2355-fc1a-4530-b258-62838a40571f-160511101047/85/Campus-34final-2-320.jpg)
![FE Week celebrating FE in partnership with Empra
54 WWW.FEWEEK.CO.UK WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2014
CAMPUS ROUND-UP
WWW.FEWEEK.CO.UK
Labour Party leader Ed
Miliband came in for a grilling
from journalism students from
Harlow College during a visit.
They quizzed him on tuition
fees, youth unemployment and
how he deals with pressure,
among
other issues, on Wednesday,
November 12.
Tom Powter, a 21-year-old
learner studying for National
Council for the Training of
Journalists (NCTJ) qualifications,
said: “Meeting and interviewing
Mr Miliband was a fantastic
opportunity for me as a trainee
reporter.
“I felt the college set up the
day excellently and it gave us an
amazing insight into the dizzying
world of political journalism.”
Mr Miliband told staff and
students that he faced “a fight
that I’m up for”.
He pledged to reduce
university tuition fees to £6,000
per year if elected as Prime
Minister next year. He also said
Labour would extend the vote
to 16 and 17-year-olds and
promised that his party would
not go back on promises to
students.
Labour leader speaks to
college staff and students
Send your stories with pictures to campus@feweek.co.uk including
names, ages and course details of students where applicableDo you want to be in Campus Round-up?
Cash boost for award
winning entrepeneurs
‘Rioting’ learners help to train the police
Level three public services students
from Chichester College attacked
the police with rocks and wooden planks
in a riot re-enactment.
The event at Longmore Army Camp
was organised by Sussex, Surrey and
Kent police forces to give officers
experience of how to deal with large-
scale public disorders. Public
services lecturer Rob Giles said:
“Every single one of the 36 students
got into character and really played
up to the role of rioters in a way
that would be valuable experience
for the police.
“They replicated a full-on civil
disturbance by throwing bricks and
wooden blocks, while controlled
petrol bombs and pieces of rubber
were also used make the ‘disturbance’
look as realistic as possible.”
Sussex Police sergeant Helen
Dunkling said: “The students
appeared to throw themselves into
their roles and made for an excellent
and realistic cross section of society.”
From left: Winning students Tony Newberry and Thomas Gill, Jan Hodges OBE, chief executive of
the Edge Foundation, Theo Paphitis, the Skills Show patron, and students Phil Newberry and Steven
Upton
Learners hurling rocks
Ateam of budding entrepreneurs
from Barking & Dagenham
College won £5,000 through
developing digital business cards
that can be shared via an app and
online.
Animation and IT students
Thomas Gill, aged 21, Steven Upton,
19, Phil Newberry, 22, and Tony
Newberry, 21, scooped first prize
in the team section of the Edge
Challenge. The competition was
launched last year by education
charity the Edge Foundation, the
Peter Jones Enterprise Academy
and the Gazelle Colleges Group.
This year’s finalists had to
pitch start-up business ideas to
an audience at The Skills Show
in Birmingham on Thursday
(November 13) and Deputy Prime
Minister Nick Clegg handed out
the awards. Steven said: “Winning
the Edge Challenge was a real
boost for us. It process encouraged
us to really think hard about our
business and make the most of it.”
David Humpston, 19, who
graduated in June from a level
three BTec in enterprise and
entrepreneurship at the Peter Jones
Enterprise Academy, in Aylesbury,
took home £3,000 for winning the
individual category.
He impressed judges with his
action video production company
called Viewpoint Videos. He said:
“The feedback I have had from the
judges has been incredibly useful
and I’m so excited to have won.”
A20-year-old former City of
Liverpool College drama
student has co-starred with Jude
Law in a Hollywood action movie.
Bob Schofield completed an
HNC in drama at the college
in 2012 and worked in theatre
before securing his big break
by being cast in the film, called
Black Sea, which was directed
by Oscar-winning film maker
Kevin Macdonald and will go on
general release next month.
It centres around unemployed
submarine captain Dom
Hemingway, played by Mr Law,
who goes on the hunt for sunken
Nazi treasure.
Bob plays Tobin,
a homeless
young man who
becomes one of
Dom’s misfit crew
hunting for the
treasure.
It involved nine
months of filming in
in Kent and Ukraine.
Bob said his
time at college
prepared him
well for the
demands of the
industry.
He said: “The
teachers care
and their passion makes you
care.
“It’s that support which has
helped me.
“I did the first audition [for the
film] in London but it didn’t really
hit home that I had a chance until
my third audition, which was a
reading at Jude Law’s house.
“That’s when I thought ‘this
could really happen’, then I heard
the next day that I’d got the role.”
Elaine Bowker, college
principal, said: “I’m really
pleased for Bob and I know
the drama staff here at the
college are made up that he has
managed to win a role in such a
major film.
“I think he’s an
inspiration for other
students and shows the
great work of the drama
team here in harnessing
young talent and giving
students the opportunity to
achieve their goals.”
Bob’s big break in action film with Jude Law
Bob Schofield
Jude Law
Ed Miliband speaking at Harlow College
Mr Miliband surrounded by staff and students
Riot police at the event
From left: David Humpston and Mr Pahitis](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/41bb2355-fc1a-4530-b258-62838a40571f-160511101047/85/Campus-34final-3-320.jpg)
Campus 34final
- 1. CAMPUS ROUND-UPFE Week celebrating FE in partnership with Empra Call 01264 729581 Email hello@empra.co.uk Visit empra.co.uk @empra Tongues will be wagging… Award winning marketing communications from a company who have been helping schools and colleges get amazing results for more than 10 years ED MILIBAND TALKS TOUGH DURING FE VISIT PAGE 4 WWW.FEWEEK.CO.UK | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2014 | EDITION 34 SINGER TONY CHRISTIE FINDS HIS WAY TO WALSALL COLLEGE PAGE 8 PEDAL POWER RAISES £2.3M FOR CHILDREN IN NEED PAGE 3 BUDDING ACTOR STARS IN FILM WITH JUDE LAW PAGE 5 Ed Miliband at Harlow College HARD LABOUR
- 2. FE Week celebrating FE in partnership with Empra 32 WWW.FEWEEK.CO.UK WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2014 CAMPUS ROUND-UP WWW.FEWEEK.CO.UK Call 01264 729581 Email hello@empra.co.uk Visit empra.co.uk @empra Tongues will be wagging… Making sure you get seen and talked about in all the right places is crucial. Whether that’s through the material you produce or the stories you tell. And it’s even more important that you have the right support from an organisation that really understands your market... We are an award winning marketing communications company who have been helping schools and colleges get the best results from all their marketing communications for more than 10 years, whether that’s branding, design, PR, marketing campaigns, websites or social media and all the bits in between. And because we only work in education we understand the language, issues and pitfalls you face, so we can help steer you in the right direction and make sure you’re seen and talked about in all the right places, for all the right reasons! Exclusively Education latest paid intern Alyce Mctigue [pictured], aged 20, who is in her final year of a journalism degree at the Harlow, Essex, campus for Anglia Ruskin University. She spent the last five months as a social media intern at London-based fashion label AngelEye, where she tweeted about the brand’s clothing and wrote a fashion-based blog. Alyce has worked really hard with writing and researching articles for this magazine. She has a first-rate ‘can-do’ attitude which will serve her well in journalism. She has also helped with designing the pages and learned about editing photos through Photoshop. Highlights of this week’s edition include stories on a visit to Harlow College by Labour Party leader Ed Miliband and the former City of Liverpool College drama student co-starring with Jude Law in a Hollywood action movie. Another article told how level three public services students from Chichester College were encouraged to hurl rocks in a mock-riot for a police training exercise. We also reported on singer Tony Christie posing for a portrait photo at Walsall College after he was contacted by a student through Facebook and East Durham College learner Leigh Newton winning two world championship gold medals at Thai boxing, just two years after she took up the sport. The feature is about agriculture returning to the syllabus at Berkshire-based BCA college after a 13 year absence. Shiny & new FEWEEK The only newspaper dedicated to further education and skills SUBSCRIBE £75 www.feweek.co.uk/subscription annual subscribers will receive: > FE Week newspaper sent each week to a UK address (36 editions in term-time) > Online access to the current and archive newspapers (in hi-res PDF format) > Special editions of FE Week at the end of each term > Regular sector relevant events > Email updates with the latest news, analysis, events and jobs Edition 34 The FE Week team: Editor: Chris Henwood Guest editor: Alyce Mctigue Training manager: Paul Offord Head designer: Nicky Phillips Designer: Rob Galt Reporters: Freddie Whittaker Rebecca Cooney Photographer: Ellis O’Brien Sales manager: Hannah Smith Sales executive: Negar Sharifi Administration: Frances Ogefere Dell Financials: Helen Neilly Victoria Boyle Managing director: Shane Mann Campus Round-Up is a sister publication of the weekly newspaper FE Week — the only newspaper dedicated to further education and skills. FE Week offers a two-week paid internship for people who want to be journalists. Interns will be guest editors for two editions of the Campus Round-Up magazine, under the guidance of training manager Paul Offord. E-mail us at campus@feweek.co.uk to find out more. If you are interested in placing a product or job advert contact Hannah Smith. Details below: E: hannah.smith@feweek.co.uk T: 020 8123 4778 Send your stories with pictures to campus@feweek.co.uk including names, ages and course details of students where applicableDo you want to be in Campus Round-up? Welcome to CAMPUS ROUND-UP edition 34 campus@feweek.co.uk @paulofford Welcome to Edition 34 of our Campus Round-Up digital magazine. The guest editor this week is our IN PARTNERSHIP WITH Getting on their bikes to raise £2.3m for Children in Need Further education learners John Dunwell and Jessica Davies helped raise £2.3m for Children in Need through a gruelling cycling challenge. They raised the money as part of a team of inspirational young people sponsored to cycle 450-miles from Salford, Manchester, to London, on rickshaw bikes ahead of the main BBC fundraising show hosted by Terry Wogan on Friday (November 14). Leeds City College level two food preparation and cookery learner John Dunwell, aged 17, was chosen for the challenge after he competed in the British Transplant Games at a variety of sports including swimming and badminton in 2012 and 2014, after recovering from a kidney transplant in 2011. Level one vocational studies learner Jessica Davies, 16, from Northamptonshire-based Tresham College, was chosen for the team by BBC bosses in recognition of her involvement with the Dwarf Sport Association (DSA), which is funded by BBC Children in Need. John said: “It was a shock to be picked for the challenge. “But I was happy to be able to help out.” Jessica said: “By funding the DSA, Children in Need has really had such a positive benefit on me, so it was nice to have the chance to return the favour.”Jessica Davies John Dunwell on his rickshaw
- 3. FE Week celebrating FE in partnership with Empra 54 WWW.FEWEEK.CO.UK WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2014 CAMPUS ROUND-UP WWW.FEWEEK.CO.UK Labour Party leader Ed Miliband came in for a grilling from journalism students from Harlow College during a visit. They quizzed him on tuition fees, youth unemployment and how he deals with pressure, among other issues, on Wednesday, November 12. Tom Powter, a 21-year-old learner studying for National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) qualifications, said: “Meeting and interviewing Mr Miliband was a fantastic opportunity for me as a trainee reporter. “I felt the college set up the day excellently and it gave us an amazing insight into the dizzying world of political journalism.” Mr Miliband told staff and students that he faced “a fight that I’m up for”. He pledged to reduce university tuition fees to £6,000 per year if elected as Prime Minister next year. He also said Labour would extend the vote to 16 and 17-year-olds and promised that his party would not go back on promises to students. Labour leader speaks to college staff and students Send your stories with pictures to campus@feweek.co.uk including names, ages and course details of students where applicableDo you want to be in Campus Round-up? Cash boost for award winning entrepeneurs ‘Rioting’ learners help to train the police Level three public services students from Chichester College attacked the police with rocks and wooden planks in a riot re-enactment. The event at Longmore Army Camp was organised by Sussex, Surrey and Kent police forces to give officers experience of how to deal with large- scale public disorders. Public services lecturer Rob Giles said: “Every single one of the 36 students got into character and really played up to the role of rioters in a way that would be valuable experience for the police. “They replicated a full-on civil disturbance by throwing bricks and wooden blocks, while controlled petrol bombs and pieces of rubber were also used make the ‘disturbance’ look as realistic as possible.” Sussex Police sergeant Helen Dunkling said: “The students appeared to throw themselves into their roles and made for an excellent and realistic cross section of society.” From left: Winning students Tony Newberry and Thomas Gill, Jan Hodges OBE, chief executive of the Edge Foundation, Theo Paphitis, the Skills Show patron, and students Phil Newberry and Steven Upton Learners hurling rocks Ateam of budding entrepreneurs from Barking & Dagenham College won £5,000 through developing digital business cards that can be shared via an app and online. Animation and IT students Thomas Gill, aged 21, Steven Upton, 19, Phil Newberry, 22, and Tony Newberry, 21, scooped first prize in the team section of the Edge Challenge. The competition was launched last year by education charity the Edge Foundation, the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy and the Gazelle Colleges Group. This year’s finalists had to pitch start-up business ideas to an audience at The Skills Show in Birmingham on Thursday (November 13) and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg handed out the awards. Steven said: “Winning the Edge Challenge was a real boost for us. It process encouraged us to really think hard about our business and make the most of it.” David Humpston, 19, who graduated in June from a level three BTec in enterprise and entrepreneurship at the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy, in Aylesbury, took home £3,000 for winning the individual category. He impressed judges with his action video production company called Viewpoint Videos. He said: “The feedback I have had from the judges has been incredibly useful and I’m so excited to have won.” A20-year-old former City of Liverpool College drama student has co-starred with Jude Law in a Hollywood action movie. Bob Schofield completed an HNC in drama at the college in 2012 and worked in theatre before securing his big break by being cast in the film, called Black Sea, which was directed by Oscar-winning film maker Kevin Macdonald and will go on general release next month. It centres around unemployed submarine captain Dom Hemingway, played by Mr Law, who goes on the hunt for sunken Nazi treasure. Bob plays Tobin, a homeless young man who becomes one of Dom’s misfit crew hunting for the treasure. It involved nine months of filming in in Kent and Ukraine. Bob said his time at college prepared him well for the demands of the industry. He said: “The teachers care and their passion makes you care. “It’s that support which has helped me. “I did the first audition [for the film] in London but it didn’t really hit home that I had a chance until my third audition, which was a reading at Jude Law’s house. “That’s when I thought ‘this could really happen’, then I heard the next day that I’d got the role.” Elaine Bowker, college principal, said: “I’m really pleased for Bob and I know the drama staff here at the college are made up that he has managed to win a role in such a major film. “I think he’s an inspiration for other students and shows the great work of the drama team here in harnessing young talent and giving students the opportunity to achieve their goals.” Bob’s big break in action film with Jude Law Bob Schofield Jude Law Ed Miliband speaking at Harlow College Mr Miliband surrounded by staff and students Riot police at the event From left: David Humpston and Mr Pahitis
- 4. 7WWW.FEWEEK.CO.UK6 WWW.FEWEEK.CO.UK WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2014 FE Week celebrating FE in partnership with EmpraCAMPUS ROUND-UP Agriculture studies return to college after 13 year absence Staff and learners on the college’s entrance steps Current agriculture students outside the college Learners outside the college in 1949Current students and guests at the re-launch event Berkshire College of Agriculture (BCA) invited local farmers to a celebration of the re-launch of agriculture into its syllabus after a 13-year absence, writes Paul Offord. Acollege that stopped offering agriculture courses following an outbreak of foot and mouth disease is now helping tackle the problem of farming’s ageing working population. There were farming-based courses taught at the 1500-learner Berkshire College of Agriculture (BCA) for more than 50 years until they were stopped in 2001. The college was even rebranded — it is only called BCA on its website — to avoid confusion after it stopped teaching agriculture, but carried on offering a variety of FE courses including sport, equine studies, science, floristry and horticulture. But it launched a level three extended diploma in agriculture in September which was celebrated this month with an official launch party. It was attended by more than 20 local farmers, past and present students and representatives from the Country Land Owners Association and the National Farmers Union. Victoria Beckwith-King, head of horticulture, countryside and agriculture, said: “Our slogan for the launch event was ‘putting the A back into BCA’ as it was obviously a shame that a college with our name had stopped teaching agriculture.” Current learners celebrated the return of agriculture to the syllabus at the launch event by restaging black and white photos taken of students in 1949. Ms Beckwith-King said: “The college first opened in 1948 when we were the Berkshire Institute of Agriculture and mainly prepared servicemen returning from the Second World War to work in farming. “We were sadly forced to stop teaching the subject after an outbreak of foot and mouth in 2001 because farmers weren’t sending their children to train with us any more, as they weren’t certain there was a future in livestock and arable farming.” Ms Beckwith-King said the outlook for the farming industry was now far more positive and they took the decision to launch the new course following a number of enquiries from local farmers. She said: “We are seeing an ageing population among the agriculture workforce and decided we needed to do something to help train the next generation. “The course itself covers livestock and arable farming, estate management which involves things like managing fencing and hedgerows, and tractor skills.” Local farmer and college governor Colin Rayner turned 54 acres of grassland on college grounds into a working arable farm over the summer which the students will now train on. Ms Beckwith Smith said: “They will gain hands’ on experience of things like growing crops and how to work a tractor. “They will also work at local farms which run dairy and livestock herds and help with looking after them and things like milking. “We used to have Friesian and Jersey herds of cattle, but sold-off our old working dairy farm to developers after we stopped running the course.” A total of 11 women and seven men, aged between 16 and 28, have signed-up for the course so far. Mrs Beckwith Smith said: “Farming used to be quite male-orientated but our first intake reflects how that is changing.” Learners waking away from the college 55 years ago FEATUREDCAMPUSROUND-UP
- 5. FE Week celebrating FE in partnership with Empra 8 WWW.FEWEEK.CO.UK WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2014 CAMPUS ROUND-UP Tongues will be wagging… Making sure you get seen and talked about in all the right places is crucial. Whether that’s through the material you produce or the stories you tell. And it’s even more important that you have the right support from an organisation that really understands your market... We are an award winning marketing communications company who have been helping schools and colleges get the best results from all their marketing communications for more than 10 years, whether that’s branding, design, PR, marketing campaigns, websites or social media and all the bits in between. And because we only work in education we understand the language, issues and pitfalls you face, so we can help steer you in the right direction and make sure you’re seen and talked about in all the right places, for all the right reasons! Call 01264 729581 Email hello@empra.co.uk Visit empra.co.uk @empra Exclusively Education From Left: Singer Tony Christie with photography student Kristofor Green Singer finds his way to Walsall College... via Facebook Singer Tony Christie found his way to Walsall College to pose for a portrait photo taken by a student who contacted him through Facebook. Mr Christie, who topped the UK singles chart in 2005 when his signature tune Is this the way to Amarillo? was re-released, lives 10 miles away from the college in Lichfield. Student Kristofor Green, 32, sent a message to the singer via his Facebook page asking if he could pose for a portrait and was thrilled when he agreed. He said: “Our tutor set us the difficult challenge of taking a portrait photo of a famous person. “I always try my best to complete a challenge, so I did some research about local celebrities and came across Tony Christie. “I was amazed when Tony said he would be ok with being photographed.” Photography tutor Bryn Griffiths said: “In completing this task, Kristofor has shown a lot of passion and determination, two attributes of a great photographer and I’m confident he will have a successful career in the industry post college.” Leigh Newton with her medals Thai boxer is wins double-gold in world championship An East Durham College level two sport student has returned home from Italy with two world championship gold medals for Thai boxing. Leigh Newton, aged 16, who took up the sport two years ago, fought in the World Kickboxing Association (WKA) finals in Tuscany this month. She won the 48kg weight category and picked up gold in a second discipline, K1, which incorporates elements of karate and kung fu. “Just to get to the world championships was a fantastic opportunity,” said Leigh. “It was great being part of the England team and going out there to compete on behalf of my country. “I am really proud to have brought these medals home. “I look forward now to continue to work hard and improve in the sport with the help of the boxing coaches at the college.”