Pershore College Wins Gold at Hampton Flower Show!

Pershore College have won a gold medal and Best Exhibit in the Plant Heritage Marquee at the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show.  To read more about it go to:

http://www.warkscol.ac.uk/news_releases/latest_news/_Gold_Win_at_Hampton_Show.htm

 

British Library puts 19th-century news online

The British Library has put two million digitised pages from 19th century newspapers online, taking historical research out of its dusty reading rooms into people’s homes.

The pay-as-you-go service brings a century of history to life and offers a first hand insight into life between 1800 and 1900, covering topics such as slavery and its abolition, Chartism, the Sepoy Mutiny, the Bryant and May match girls’ strike, sex and scandal, the Napoleonic wars, the Crimean war and the Whitechapel murders.

The database allows you to search millions of articles from 49 local and national newspaper titles for free using keywords. The site also contains 1000’s of illustrations, maps, tables and photographs. With this service you can print, email, download, and save articles and page images, and also explore bonus content, including biographies, publication histories, and timelines.

View complete articles from the  Penny Illustrated Paper and The Graphic  free of charge or alternatively, buy a 24-hour pass for £6.99 allowing you to view up to 100 articles, or a seven-day pass with 200 article views for £9.99

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8104099.stm

For more information and to check out the database for yourself, visit http://newspapers.bl.uk/blcs/

posted by Sophie

Banksy Exhibition at Bristol City Museum

 

The elusive graffiti artist Banksy has produced his largest show to date, featuring more than 100 previously unseen artworks. Unveiled by Bristol City Museum, the exhibition – Banksy versus Bristol Museum – was kept secret from council bosses and was installed in the council-run museum amid great secrecy. Banksy was previously sought for vandalism by the police and council in his home city of Bristol. He said: ‘This is the first show I’ve ever done where taxpayers’ money is being used to hang my pictures up rather than scrape them off.’

Banksy claims that he has to maintain his anonymity for “legal” reasons. In the press release accompanying the exhibition, he said: “Maybe one day graffiti art will hang in lots of museums and be viewed in the same way as other modern art, although personally I hope it never sinks that low.”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2009/jun/12/banksy-bristol-art-exhibition?picture=348798024

The exhibition runs until August 31st 2009, open daily 10am- 5pm; admission free.

For more information, visit www.bristol.gov.uk/museums

posted by Sophie

Display at Pershore to Celebrate Darwin Bicentenary

In recognition of the bicentenary of Darwin’s birth a display has been set-up at Pershore LRC to celebrate his life and achievements.  It focuses on two main areas: his voyage on HMS Beagle (1831 – 36) as a ‘gentleman naturalist’ and his life at Down House, Kent (1842- 82).  The significance of Darwin’s experience on the Beagle in developing his ideas of evolution by natural selection is well documented.  It was not until over two decades after the Beagle voyage, however, that the first edition of On the Origins of Species was published in 1859. What is less well known is the experimental work he conducted in the gardens and grounds at Down House.  This included trials on hybridising primroses and the pollination of orcids as well as observations on the variation in commonplace nature such as hedge parsley.  Whilst at Down House Darwin carried out an extensive corrospondence with many of the leading natural scientists of his time and such luminaries as Joseph Hooker (Director at Kew) and the geologist Charles Lyell, were frequent visitors.  Recent biographies, like Michael Boulter’s Darwin’s Garden (2008), have stressed the importance of Darwin’s work at Down to the development of mature scientific thinking.

     Darwin (paper in hand), Hooker and Lyell in the study at Down House

 

                                Conrad Martens’ painting of HMS Beagle

Books on Darwin at Pershore LRC

The following books are a selection of those on Darwin available at Pershore LRC: 

Darwin – A Life in Science (1995) by John Gribbin and Michael White –  This biography explores Darwins work as a scientist and traces the development of his ideas of evolution by natural selection.  His achievements are placed in the context of a man plauged by illness and personal tragedy.

 

Darwin’s Sacred Cause (2009) by adrian Desmond and James Moore – In this radical reinterpretation of the significance of Darwin’s work his commitment to abolition of Slavery, the ‘Sacred Cause’, is viewed as not as a moral stance but supported by his evolutionary theory.  Leading apologists for slavery had argued that different races ariginated as seperate species but Darwin rejected such spurious assertions by stressing the essential unity of all life. 

Darwin’s Gardem (2008) by Michael Boulter – A book that examines the importance of the botanising and experimental work that Darwin did whilst living at Darwin House to his scientific theories.

 

 

Evolution – second edition - (1999) by Colin Patterson – An introductory text on modern evolutionary theory written for the non-specialist.  Clear, concise and well illustrated.

 

SPLAT Arts Festival is coming!

 

 

 

 

 

SPLAT Festival - an annual non-profit week-long celebration of Student Performance, Literature Art & Theatre at the University of Warwick - is dedicated to creating opportunities for all to pursue their creative talents. SPLAT is the first and largest student run arts festival in the world and all the events are open to the public.

Highlights of the SPLAT ‘08 programme included a night-time promenade performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, an international break-dancing competition, and an open-air cinema. A number of productions also went on to receive 4 & 5 Star reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe. 

Taking place this year from Sunday 21st to Thursday 25th of June, University of Warwick students and members of the local community alike can enjoy over sixty-five free events taking place in venues across the University campus and in the Warwick Arts Centre.

Here is just a small selection of the events on offer over the 5 days:

Theatre -

• Theatre and Playwriting Today: a panel discussion – a lively debate about contemporary theatre and playwriting. Bring your questions to Director Tom Cornford and Playwright Amanda Whittington.
• Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me - Frank McGuinness’s moving play about three men, held hostage in a single cell, thrives on its dark sense of humour. Gritty, humorous and heart-breaking, McGuinness’s play is an exploration of the outer corners of the human condition.

 Art –

• Mask Making – where anyone can come to create masks. Instructions and materials will be provided as well as information on different types of masks. An exhibition of the masks created will follow.
• Photosoc Exhibition - view a selection of the fantastic pictures produced by members of the University’s Photo Society. 
• Anime, Manga & Cosplay – interested in art, animation, costume design? Check out the exhibition on anime and manga, a Japanese art movement, and discover cosplay, where people create costumes of manga and video game characters and masquerade them. 

Film –

• Cinema Outdoor Screening: Monsters Inc. 
• Shootout Showcase - big-screen showing of all fourteen shortlisted films from the Shootout short film competition. Shootout is an extreme film-making competition which challenges Warwick University staff, students and alumni to make a film of no more that 4 minutes in 24 hours using a brief which is not revealed until the start of the 24 hour period. Films are judged by film industry professionals who will be at the Gala Awards Ceremony, held towards the end of the festival, to introduce the films.

Music –

• Drum Parade – a carnival style parade.
• Revelation Rock-Gospel Choir – a mix of contemporary gospel, pop and rock songs guaranteed to get everyone clapping along! 
• Almost Acoustic – the sounds of some of Warwick’s finest musicians in this acoustic and unplugged celebration of music.
• String Orchestra concert
• The Big Band Concert

Dance –

• CRUNK’D: The Darker Side of Dance – Street Vibe showcase their most energetic routines and provide you with an insight into the origins of street dance.
• Irish Dancing Performance 
• Salsa Performance 
• Belly Dance Workshop – a two hour belly dance workshop for all levels of experience. 

Comedy –

• WORDS with A.L.Kennedy – Join award-winning author and stand-up comedian A.L. Kennedy for a night of comic theatre.
• The Comedy Society’s Student Showcase - a two hour gig full of the finest comedians Warwick University has to offer. 

Writers Workshop –

• Workshop of the World: a poetry workshop – poetry workshop with David Morley, award-winning poet and Director of the Warwick Writing Programme. All are welcome, sign up online.
• Writing for the Theatre – a workshop on writing for the theatre led by playwright Amanda Whittington; sign up online.

Author Talk –

• The Science of Discworld - Ian Stewart is joint author of the UK bestselling series The Science of Discworld I, II, and III (with Terry Pratchett and Jack Cohen), and has published more than 80 other books. A prize-winning scientist, Stewart hosts this fun and stimulating event on the Science of Discworld for children.
• The Life & Work of Mervyn Peake – Sebastian Peake, the son of the late Mervyn Peake who wrote the highly celebrated “Gormenghast” series, will talk about his father’s work.
• Gregory Norminton: the strange future of publishing – Author of four novels including The Ship of Fools (’a Canterbury Tales for the new millennium’ – The Times), Gregory will talk about his books and the future of publishing industry.

 …In addition to a fashion show, a magic and illusion show and martial arts demonstrations and workshops.

For further information and to view the full event listings by date, venue or type, visit www.wsaf.org.uk 

posted by Sophie

Pershore College Open Day

 

 

 

6th June   10am – 5pm

Lots of activities and demonstrations for the whole family to enjoy including:
Produce and plant sales, public dog show, horticultural demonstrations, dog agility, classic car displays, fun children’s activities, Gardeners’ Question Time, Birds of Prey demonstrations, tractor and trailer rides, laser clay shooting, floristry demonstrations, employers and networking area and much more!

Refreshments are available.

Tickets are £5 per car or £2 per person

 

www.warkscol.ac.uk/pershore 

 Posted by Alison

Free English Classes

Do you know anyone for whom English is not a first language who might be interested in free English classes? 

The classes start next Monday and will be held every afternoon (except Friday) 1.30-3.30pm for the next five weeks.

Classes are taught by trainee teachers under the supervision of an experienced tutor and are at two levels Elementary (Entry 1-2) and Upper Intermediate (Entry 3 / Level 1).

If you know anyone who might be interested they should telephone 01926 884211, email jmeakin@warkscol.ac.uk or pop into the languages department (RLS).

posted by Sophie

Bronze medal for Warwickshire College at Chelsea

Warwickshire College staff, Tony Davy from Pershore and Mike Roberts from Morton Morrell, have designed an award winning garden at Chelsea this year.

Go to www.rhs.org.uk/whatson/shows/chelsea2009/courtyard/warwickshirecollege.asp  to read more

Congratulations to Lorna!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to Lorna- the librarian at the Leamington LRC- who is today celebrating having worked in the LRC for 20 years to the day!

posted by Sophie

Attention Art Students!

Andy Warhol’s portrait of David Hockney, part of ‘Pop Life: Art in a Material World’ at Tate Modern, London.

 

Tate Modern’s big autumn show- Pop Life: Art in a Material World- will examine how artists such as Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst have become part of celebrity culture, and will look at the legacy of Andy Warhol’s declaration that “good business is the best art”. The exhibition, three years in the planning, will look at subsequent artists at their most self-aggrandising.

Tate Modern’s chief curator Sheena Wagstaff said they wanted to pinpoint the moment in the 1980s when “a key aspect of late Warhol became a thrilling legacy for subsequent generations of artists”. The show will explore how, after Warhol, artists have not only commented on the mass media culture of the last 30 years, but have been very much a part of it, infiltrating the cult of celebrity.

The show begins with Warhol, the fright-wigged, pale and vacant-looking pop artist who inspired so many. “Artists took permission from Warhol to treat the persona as part of the art itself,” says Catherine Wood, one of the show’s curators. “By the 80s, Warhol was licensing his aura. People would pay for him to turn up to parties and sometimes he would send doubles to effect the same demeanour. He treated the idea of the aura almost like a perfume brand.”

The career of Damien Hirst, one of the most successful of all self-publicising artists, will also feature heavily in the Tate Modern show. It will chart his career from the breakthrough Freeze exhibition in 1988, which introduced the YBAs to a global audience, to the convention-defying sale he organised last year at Sotheby’s.

- Pop Life: Art in a Material World at Tate Modern, October 1st 2009 – January 17th 2010

taken from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/may/12/tate-modern-warhol-artists

posted by Sophie

Adult Learners’ Week

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adult Learners’ Week is all about getting adults back into learning, whether that’s to start a new course and gain the right qualifications for higher education or a new job or discovering a new hobby or skill. Warwickshire College’s activities will include free tasters at our centres, free tasters out in the community and we’re even asking our students to ‘bring a friend to class’ for one lesson during that week. Don’t forget to tell all your friends and family about this great opportunity to try out some of our course tasters.

If you want to see what’s on offer visit www.warkscol.ac.uk/alw

Don’t forget to come to the Learning Resource Centre or go to the LRC intranet pages to find out about all the resources we have on offer to assist learners of any age and ability. For example, why not try:

Learning How To Study Again

By Dr Catherine Dawson

(Currently held at the Leamington LRC)

 

posted by Sophie

So what do you think of the new LRC intranet pages?

Pershore LRC Seed Exchange

 Have you got any packets of seed surplus to requirements? 

Or any partially used packets of seeds that you would like to exchange? 

A seed exchange is being run at Pershore LRC giving the opportunity for students and staff to swap seeds as part of the ‘Grow Your Own Vegetables’ campaign.  Third year horticulture student, Jason Daff, started the scheme by kindly donating the surplus seeds from his final year investigation.  Jason is pictured above with LRC staff member Peter Parkes.

Posted by Peter 

‘Minding Your Body’ Theme Week

 27th April – 1st May 2009

Minding your body – stress awareness and physical wellbeing – is this week’s theme throughout Warwickshire College. All this week, students can visit the information stands at all centres and pick up tips and advice on dealing with stress, healthy eating and getting physically active. Further information can be found on the intranet: http://www.warkscol.ac.uk/intranet/default.asp?cNode=20661

Plus, don’t forget the great range of books on offer in the LRCs! Why not check out:

Stress Management in Essence

By Jennie Harding

(Copies currently held at Leamington, Rugby and Henley-in-Arden LRCs)

 

Mindful Eating 101: a guide to healthy eating in college and beyond

By Susan Albers

(Currently held at Leamington LRC)

 

posted by Sophie