Myerscough College News

Piers goes Green

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The photograph shows Piers Kay receiving his 6th kyu (green belt) grading certificate from club instructor Peter Trice 3rd Dan KUGB. Piers was awarded his grade by Sensei Andy Sherry 8th Dan, Senior Instructor and Chairman KUGB, on Sunday 11th June 2010, following rigorous examination.

Piers is currently the youngest karateka training at Myerscough; he is now training hard in readiness for his next grading in December.

Well done Piers!

Golfers get into the swing of things for charity

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Myerscough’s Golf Academy recently presented a cheque of £1,089.00 to the Prince’s Trust from money raised at the College’s annual Principals Charity Golf Day held earlier this year.

The event was organised by final year FdA Golf Management Students and saw many local corporate teams compete in a full day’s competition. The winning team was CAD Associates, who were represented by a Myerscough College student team consisting of Steven Hewitt, Nathan Pugh, Dan Southam and Damon Wood. Steven Hewitt was also the winner of the Longest Drive award, while Peter Lawson, from AEGIS Services, won the award for the Closest Pin.

In addition to the event itself, there was also a raffle held with many excellent prizes donated by local companies which combined with sponsorships and entry fees, helped to raise the money.

Sue Littlefair, a Representative of the Prince’s Trust, said: “I must applaud the Myerscough students who put in so much effort in raising this money. I attended the Charity Golf Day personally and have to say that it was a fantastic event that was thoroughly enjoyed by everybody involved.”

Myerscough College’s Principal and Chief Executive, Ann Turner, added: “Once again the Charity Golf Day proved a huge success and the students and staff from the Golf Academy can be very proud of their fundraising efforts!”

The Prince’s Trust is a charity that helps change young lives by offering practical and financial support and developing key workplace skills such as confidence and motivation. They work with 14 to 30-year-olds who have struggled at school, have been in care, are long-term unemployed or have been in trouble with the law. Since 1976 they have helped over 600,000 young people with more than three out of four of them moving on to work, education or training.

The picture shows (from left to right), Myerscough College Golf Academy staff, Scott Sheild and Stuart Blair, with Myerscough College Principal and Chief Executive, Ann Turner, presenting the cheque to Prince’s Trust Representatives, Sue Littlefair and Awais Javid.

‘How’s that’ for Cricket Development!

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT

A Myerscough College Cricket Academy student rewrote the record books for his local club when he recorded a massive innings of 192.

17-year-old National Diploma Student, Stuart Naden, hit the outstanding knock during a recent Northern League Game for Chorley Cricket Club’s Second Team. The innings, which included 25 fours and two sixes, set a new record for both the club and the league, surpassing the previous best of 182.

Stuart, who usually plays as an opening batsman, has been in prolific form all year for both club and College, accumulating an excellent run tally including other big scores of 96 and 79.

He commented: “Obviously I am very proud to have made such a big score and many people within the club and the College have told me that it is the score of a lifetime. I have to pinch myself to believe that I actually made it, although I was feeling pretty sore the day after!”

This seasons form, demonstrates a remarkable turnaround for the Chorley youngster during his two years at the College, something which he attributes to the excellent coaching he has received from the Myerscough staff and the superb facilities on offer.

He added: “When I first started the course, I knew that I had the talent to become a good player, but the mental belief to register big scores was definitely lacking. However, the coaching staff at Myerscough really helped me develop my technique, attitude and concentration, which in turn has made me a far better player. One of my fellow students on the course told me that I am the most improved player he has ever seen and this has everything to do with the excellent coaching and guidance I have received.”

Richard Dearden, a Lecturer in Cricket Studies at the College, said: “To record a score of 192 in a 45 over game is truly staggering and Stuart should be very proud of his achievement. Everybody at Myerscough College is absolutely made up for him as he has put so much effort in to improving his game and really taken onboard the advice given to him.”

Stuart is set to head over to Australia this year for six months once he has finished his course and hopes to pick up further tips about styles of play and coaching techniques. After this, he hopes to continue to impress at Chorley CC and possibly return to Myerscough College in 2011 to complete a Foundation Degree in Cricket Coaching. His ultimate dream is to make it professionally.

Myerscough students are smart for sustainability!

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Myerscough College’s Principal and Chief Executive, Ann Turner, was recently on hand to present several students with this year’s Sustainability Awards.

These annual awards are given to students who demonstrate the inclusion of the principles of sustainable development during their vocational training course.

The first award went to the students of the Animal Academy who have undertaken a series of projects throughout the year.

The Level 1 students grew vegetables for the animals in order to reduce the need to buy in stock as well as reduce car miles. The National Certificate Year 1 students designed fish tanks with a sustainability theme using items such as lego and bottles which made the tanks look interesting as well as providing a hide for the fish. On top of this they also developed a short DVD on the effect of global warming and littering on the oceans. The National Certificate Year 2 students made a new enclosure for the guinea pigs as well as producing bat boxes out of sustainable wood.

Not to be outdone, the National Diploma students also got in the act, with the Year 1 students producing a display for the College’s Open Day and Country Fair which highlighted how many animals are facing extinction and what we can do to prevent that from happening. This display linked in with this year’s World Environment Day and it’s theme of ‘Many species, one planet, one future’. Additionally, the Year 2 students made a fully sustainable dog agility course for use on Open Day.

No money was spent on any of these projects and all the activities tied in with the students’ respective course.

An individual award was also presented to Eleanor Siddall, who is currently on the final year of an Introductory Diploma in Countryside Studies. Throughout the academic year, Eleanor has voluntarily undertaken a recycling project. This has seen her provide kitchens, staff rooms and offices with recycling bags and, once full, she has spent her own time emptying, sorting and recycling all the plastic, metal and glass.

Allan Nickson, Head of Sustainability at the College, said: “All these students have done excellently this year and thoroughly deserve these awards. It is great to see so many young people taking such an active role in sustainability throughout the College.”

The pictures show the students receiving their awards from Myerscough College’s Principal and Chief Executive, Ann Turner.

Access team raise money to help wounded heroes!

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Students from Myerscough College’s Access Department recently raised a fantastic £296.50 for the Help for Heroes Charity.

The money was raised through a Tombola held at the College’s Open Day and Country Fair on Sunday 6th June with all the prizes being produced by students and staff from the department. A cheque was then presented to Colonel Phil Harrison, a representative of the charity, on Monday 21st June.

Colonel Harrison commented: “The efforts that these students have gone to for the Help for Heroes charity is absolutely exceptional and we are extremely grateful for such a big donation. It is contributions like these that allow us to do so much good work to help members of our armed forces.”

Myerscough College’s Learning Manager for Access, Peter Trice, added: “We are very proud of the efforts of all the team in raising an excellent sum of money for such a worthwhile cause. The College’s Open Day was a brilliant event and members of the public seemed to enjoy the tombola very much!”

Help for Heroes raises money to support members of the Armed Forces who have been wounded in the service of their country. Over a million people have helped the charity raise millions of pounds to date and these funds have been used to buy much needed services to aid their recovery. For more information please visit the website www.helpforheroes.org.uk.

The picture shows students from Myerscough College’s Access Department alongside Myerscough’s Director of HE Curriculum, Mick Cottam, presenting the cheque to Colonel Phil Harrison.

Myerscough Crane Academy Students celebrate success

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Myerscough College held its annual Crane Academy Awards Ceremony on Thursday 27th May.

The Ceremony began with a welcome from Myerscough College’s Deputy Principal of Curriculum, Joe Lamont, before an introduction by Head of Student Support and Welfare, Bernard Pendleton. The apprentices were then called up to receive their awards, with 15 students successfully completing the Construction Plant Maintenance NVQ Level 2 Award and 3 students achieving the Hire Desk Operative NVQ Level 2 Award.

In addition, the Construction Skills Best Student Trophy was awarded to Sam Steward, from Hest Bank, Lancaster, who works for VolkerBrooks. Sam received the award as a result of his hard work, work-based evidence and exam results. The Myerscough Award for Endeavour went to Chris Haselden, from St Helens, who works for Kimberley Access. Chris demonstrated a fantastic willingness to learn along with constant improvement throughout his time at the College.

Stephen Bennett, an Instructor in Construction Plant Maintenance, then gave a pictorial presentation about the Crane Academy, which included slides of the students undertaking practical and theoretical tasks. The Ceremony concluded with a Student Vote of Thanks by David West of ET Hire Ltd, where he gave his sincere thanks to all the staff at the College on behalf of the students.

Crane Academy Course Tutor, John Holden, said: “We are very pleased at the progress that these students made during their time at the College. They can now look forward to a fulfilling career in the industry.”

The picture shows from left to right, Myerscough College’s John Holden, VolkerBrooks’s Darren Bentham , The Construction Skills Best Student Award winner Sam Steward, and VolkerBrooks’s Dean Mason.

The Crane Academy is now in its sixth year and was developed to meet the need for vocational training in the plant crane maintenance industry. The College has excellent resources to support this sector, offering dedicated apprenticeship opportunities for young people working in the Crane Hire, Plant Hire and Tool Hire industries. Myerscough provides apprenticeship training to 17 crane hire companies and 25 plant and tool hire businesses from across the UK.

Bumper attendance at Myerscough College Open Day!

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT

This year’s Myerscough College Open Day and Country Fair was another roaring success with over 15,000 people visiting the College for an action-packed day out.

The event was held on Sunday 6th June and all day long there were fantastic demonstrations, displays and shows from all our subject areas as well as food, drink and live music. Prospective students also got the chance to see our beautiful campus and chat with experts from all our subject areas. Additionally there were stands devoted to our range of Higher Education, Further Education, Part-Time and Short Courses.

Highlights of the day included several excellent displays at our Equine International Arena, the ‘Made in Lancashire’ Food Hall, Terry Large’s Falconry Displays, Tractor Drawn Rides, tours of our Animal Academy, Motorsport and Machinery exhibitions and the ever-popular sheep show.

Ann Turner, Chief Executive and Principal of Myerscough College, commented:
“Once again the Open Day was a magnificent event and we received a lot of very positive comments from visitors about the quality of the day and the value for money. It was great to see even more of our students involved this year and all the smiling faces of staff, students, exhibitors and visitors. The weather, although not perfect with showers in the morning, was so much better than was feared earlier in the week and was fine for large periods."

The pictures show activities held throughout the day.

Rugby successes keep coming

Wed, 26 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Myerscough College’s Rugby Academy are celebrating the success of two of their former students involved with Sale Sharks.

19-year-old Lee Imiolek, from Middlewich, Cheshire, made his first Premiership start for the first team in their last game of the season against Harlequins. Lee had already made several appearances from the bench this season after being one of two players who gained a contract last year. He has also been selected in the England Junior World Cup Team for Under 20 players.

Fellow 19-year-old Tom Brady, from Urmston, Manchester, was recently voted the Sale Sharks Academy player of the year, which recognises the progress he has made since leaving the College in 2009. Both Lee and Tom had studied the National Diploma in Rugby Studies at Myerscough.

As well as the success of Lee and Tom, the current Myerscough Rugby Academy has also enjoyed a fruitful year, winning the BCS (British Colleges Sport) National Cup, the North West 10 a-side and the BCS Elite League North, BCS North west Performance Cup,BCS North West Performance league as well as getting to the final of the AASE (Advanced Apprenticeship for Sporting Excellence) Academy Semi Finals.

Rod Murray, a Rugby Tutor at Myerscough College, commented: “It has been another extremely successful year for the Rugby Academy with the team being undefeated in all BCS Performance competitions. The continued success of both Lee and Tom is just the icing on the cake! Lee could not have played at a higher level this year and it was great to see him on television playing for England as well.”

The Myerscough Rugby Union Academy gives a unique opportunity to train as a professional athlete with quality professional coaching staff whilst studying in an excellent academic environment. Myerscough College is the accredited Rugby Football Union college for the North West and has developed its partnership with Sale Sharks and the RFU to become an Elite Player Development Centre for the North West.

The pictures show Tom Brady in action for Myerscough College last year and Lee Imiolek.

Girls’ football is top of the league at Myerscough

Tue, 25 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Myerscough College has teamed up with Blackburn Rovers Football Club to offer an academic qualification for young girls who are leaving school.

Blackburn Rovers manager, Sam Allardyce, is backing the initiative, designed to enhance career opportunities for talented female footballers. Myerscough College tutors will deliver two courses; a First Diploma and a National Diploma in Football Studies, at the football club’s Indoor Centre at Ewood Park. The partnership focuses on providing the girls with a football coaching qualification, while offering them the possibility of progression to the Blackburn Rovers Ladies first team, which finished seventh in the 2009/10 FA Tesco Women’s Premier League.

The courses will utilise the on-site facilities and resources, which include two designated classrooms, two indoor pitches and an IT suite. External facilities include teaching and coaching at Burnley FC, Myerscough’s Preston campus, Witton Park AstroTurf pitches and the Blackburn Rovers Sports Arena at Darwen Vale.

The coaching staff at the College have a range of specialist expertise within the football industry and excellent links with local football clubs and groups. In addition the girls will have training delivered by Blackburn Rovers’ fully qualified football coaches, which opens up further doors to a potential first-team future.

Myerscough College, which is an FA Charter Standard College, already operates a successful Football Development Centre with teams playing in the English Colleges Football Association League, British Colleges League, English Colleges/Schools National Cup, Lancashire County Cup and the Lancashire FA Floodlit League.

Christina Craig, Myerscough College’s learning manager for East Lancashire, said: “We are delighted to have strengthened our links with Blackburn Rovers Football Club through this venture.”

“Through the partnership we are able to offer the opportunity for the girls to play football for a top-flight club as well as allowing them the use of excellent training facilities, whilst also gaining a recognisable academic qualification from Myerscough College.”

The College has a renowned reputation as one of the top colleges for football development in England, with a number of students having already achieved success by progressing into professional or semi-professional game.

Jenna Carroll, a regular in the Rovers Ladies first team, added: “I enrolled on a Football Studies course at Myerscough College in 2006 and it gave me a great grounding in all aspects of the game.”

Kieran Bentley, a former student at Myerscough who is now Blackburn Rovers Ladies’ assistant manager, said: “After spending two years coaching in America, I wanted to return to full-time education and carry on with my coaching at the same time.

"I’d heard about the qualifications at Myerscough, and enrolled on a full-time Football Studies course. I also managed to get some part-time work with Blackburn Rovers’ Community Department. It was the perfect platform for me, because as well as getting an academic qualification, I also got some practical experience.”

The picture shows from left to right, Jenna Carroll, Blackburn Rovers Manager, Sam Allardyce, Kieran Bentley, and Myerscough College's Leanne Holbert.

Myerscough helps youngsters get on the ball

Fri, 21 May 2010 12:00:00 GMT

National Diploma Football Studies students from Myerscough College’s Blackburn Centre recently organised an FA Premier League Tournament for youngsters in the North West.

The students took responsibility in planning, preparing and delivering the event as part of their course and after much discussion and deliberation, they eventually decided on the football tournament.

The event was held at the Blackburn Rovers Indoor Centre at Ewood Park and was run over two days in conjunction with Blackburn Rovers Community Trust. Over 50 schools from the local area were invited to participate and compete for the title of FA Premier League School Champions. The first day saw Year 5 and 6 boys competing in a 6-aside competition while the second day involved girls from Year 7.

The day was a great success with the winning teams now moving on to the Regional Finals, which are also set to be held at Blackburn Rovers.

Sports Lecturer for Myerscough College’s Blackburn Centre, Jill Reid, said: “The students put on an excellent tournament and everything ran very smoothly from start to finish. All the teachers and staff from the Football Club praised them for their competence and efficiency, so much so that they were asked to assist in the forthcoming Regional and National Finals!”

The pictures show the students who organised the event alongside Blackburn Rovers Mascot, Roar the Lion, as well as the event in progress.