Staffs Uni journalists lead award nominations

28 April 2010

Nominee Ben Lowe

By Mark Astley: Staffordshire University is leading the nominations at this year’s Midlands Media Awards.

Ben Lowe, Stuart Hodge and Luke Hatfield are three Staffs Uni students nominated for the title of ‘Student Journalist of the Year’.

Lecturers Ross Hawkes and Sue Greenwood are also nominated in separate categories. Mr. Hawkes was nominated for ‘Online Journalist of the Year’ for his website, the Lichfield Blog, and Ms Greenwood was recommended for the award for ‘Digital Innovation’, for her website Sweeble.com.

The awards are an opportunity to showcase the very best of Midlands media output and celebrate the hard work of journalists, producers and editors across the region.

The awards see journalists from around the region fighting it out in 21 categories.

The Midlands Media Awards, which are in their ninth year, take place in Birmingham, on Thursday 13th May.

StaffsLive reporter Mark Astley spoke to ‘Student Journalist of the Year’ nominee, Ben Lowe about his nomination.

Lib Dems: other parties will increase student fees

28 April 2010

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg

By Mark Astley: Students at Staffordshire University could end up paying £7,000 a year in tuition fees under Conservative or Labour governments, according to the Liberal Democrats.

The Lib Dems have highlighted a newspaper article from last year which indicated that both Labour and the Conservatives would favour a £7,000 level in fees.

According to calculations done by the party, a student graduating from an English university in 2015 will leave with £38,123 of debt – increasing to £44,000 for students in London.

Current students leaving Staffordshire University have around twenty thousand pounds debt.

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said: “Despite the huge financial strain fees already placed on Britain’s young people, it is clear both Labour and the Conservatives want to lift the cap on fees.”

“Not only do we oppose any raising of the cap, we will scrap tuition fees for good, including for part-time students.”

Fees are currently capped at £3,225 for the current academic year rising to £3,290 next year.

STORY PUBLISHED AT WWW.STAFFS.AC.UK/STAFFSLIVE

Sniffer dog leads the fight against drugs in Staffordshire

23 April 2010 873 views No Comment

By Mark Astley: One of Staffordshire Police’s newest recruits has a real nose for crime.

Ben with his handler

Ben the golden labrador has been making real waves in the county’s war against drugs since he finished his training last November.

He was trained as a passive drugs dog and since then he has helped to recover several thousand pounds worth of illegal substances as part of Operation Nemesis.

A passive drugs dog is trained to detect whether a person is in possession of drugs and to indicate by sitting and staring at them.

Ben lives with his handler PC John Maunders at his home, where he still can’t help being nosey.

PC Maunders explained: “He’s inquisitive. So if we take him in the kitchen, he’ll jump up on the kitchen side. Take him upstairs he’ll rummage through the bed. All the things we want him to do when he’s searching for drugs, but not the sort of thing you want them to be doing in your home!”

Ben has been a huge success since he finished his training and the force has plans to introduce more passive search dogs.

StaffsLive reporter Mark Astley went to meet Ben.

Health expert’s concern over processed meat in English breakfasts

14 March 2010

By: Michelle Yeomans and Mark Astley: A health expert has warned that processed meats in a full English breakfast could lead to cancer.

The warning by Tony Stewart, a Professor of Health at Staffordshire University, comes as bad news to health authorities in the county who are already waging a war against obesity.

Recent studies have revealed that obesity levels in Stoke-on-Trent are amongst the highest in the country, with 31 per cent of the population being obese.

Other figures have suggested that two-thirds of people in the Potteries do not do any exercise.

Prof Stewart said: “While English breakfasts are unhealthy for your heart, there’s also some evidence that the processed meats used in it can also cause cancer.”

Click below to hear the full interview with Prof Stewart:

Health experts say the average woman should eat no more than 70g of fat per day and men should eat no more than 95g – yet a full English breakfast contains 95.7g of fat.

Gail Stephenson who works at Munchies Cafe in Stoke-on-Trent said: “Our customers know how many calories and how much fat there is in a full English, but it has never deterred them.

“Some people come in and ask for the bacon to be grilled rather than fried, because its healthier. But then we also get people who come in and ask for 4 eggs or extra sausages.”

STORY PUBLISHED AT WWW.STAFFS.AC.UK/STAFFSLIVE

Student’s Union president survives vote

12 February 2010

Assed Baig

By Mark Astley: A vote of no confidence against Staffordshire University Student’s Union President Assed Baig has failed.

The ‘Vote No’ campaign, which was opposed to Mr Baig, narrowly failed to win two thirds of the vote.

The Student’s Union website has announced that 626 votes were cast in support of the Mr Baig, with 1,014 against.

In order to remove him from power, the opposition needed to collect 66 per cent of the vote, but Lawrence Hardy’s Vote No campaign only managed to poll 62 per cent of the votes.

The result signals the end to a dramatic week in which racist graffiti was daubed outside the Student Union’s offices in the early hours of February 10.

STORY PUBLISHED AT WWW.STAFFS.AC.UK/STAFFSLIVE

NHS Stoke-on-Trent launches online “Get Fit” scheme

11 December 2009

By Sarah-Jayne Rushton and Mark Astley: NHS Stoke-on-Trent has set up an online scheme to help people become healthier.

The “Get Fit Wellness Service” is designed to help people make the right choices when it comes to smoking, drinking, eating and exercise.

The scheme has been running for two weeks after health problems in Stoke-on-Trent were highlighted.

Stoke was red flagged by the “Oneplace” website for health after the survey found that one -in- four people smoke and there are 500 smoke-related deaths every year.

The website uses statistics from local councils, the NHS, the police and the fire service to find an area’s strengths and weaknesses.

However, the website said Stoke-on-Trent was making “good progress” in tackling the city’s “deep-rooted problems”.

People of Stoke are now being urged to take the online “survey” so they can be issued with a report that will provide advice and support on how to minimise health risks.

The system will also set health goals and show you how to achieve them.

Carl Bennett, Senior Health Improvement Specialist for NHS Stoke-on-Trent, said: “For people who live extremely busy lives, this 12-minute questionnaire can be done during a lunch break or at time that suits best.”

To access the tool visit https://stokeontrent.getfit.com or click the ‘Fit for Life West Midlands, ‘logo on the homepage of www.stoke.nhs.uk

STORY PUBLISHED AT WWW.STAFFS.AC.UK/STAFFSLIVE

Abbey Hulton eco-housing scheme welcomed

6 December 2009

By Mark Astley: Residents in Abbey Hulton have welcomed a new scheme to provide 38 new energy efficient homes in the area.

The work, which has been funded by Homes and Communities Agency and affordable housing provider Affinity Sutton, has begun replacing existing homes on land off Holehouse Road.

The two, three, and four bedroom homes, which will use solar energy, are due to be completed in February 2011.

The £3.3million scheme which was identified by Stoke-on-Trent City Council, also aims to provide training and employment opportunities for local people.

Councillor John Daniels , cabinet member for housing, environment and neighbourhood services said: “This scheme will transform an area of unpopular housing into high quality homes that will actively help residents reduce household bills and increase energy efficient.”

Local resident Beryl Lorento, has welcomed the new homes.

“These houses are being built in a nice area and will provide a good mix of family homes and smaller houses.

“There is a great community spirit and these new houses will help bring people into the area.”

STORY PUBLISHED AT WWW.STAFFS.AC.UK/STAFFSLIVE

Four more swine flu deaths recorded in West Midlands

20 November 2009

By Dave Lambert and Mark Astley: Four more people have died from swine flu in the West Midlands area in the past week, figures emerged today.

It brings the number of swine flu related deaths to 27 in the region.

Local hospitals have also reported that 216 people have been admitted with flu or swine flu symptoms this week, up from 206 last week.

Nigel Smith, Communications Lead for Swine Flu in the West Midlands, said: “The increase in cases is partly to do with the fact that children have gone back to school and people have come back from holidays.

“Obviously as we are approaching winter we’re seeing more cases because the swine flu virus likes the cold.

“We’ve seen a rise recently but it hasn’t been a significant rise, so it’s too early to predict what’s going to happen or worry yet.”

GP surgeries in the West Midlands have this week received their first supplies of the swine flu vaccine since October following the latest numbers to be released.

These show that 61 people per every 100,000 in the West Midlands have reported flu-like symptoms – well over the average in England of 47.9 people (per 100,000).

Dr Rashmi Shukla, Regional Director of Public Health, NHS West Midlands, said: “Sadly there have been a further four swine-flu related deaths and our thoughts are with the families of these patients at this difficult time.

“Over the next few weeks the NHS will continue to vaccinate those most at risk of developing the illness.

“I’d also like to remind people that it is normal to see a rise in respiratory illness, such as flu, at this time of year.”

STORY PUBLISHED AT WWW.STAFFS.AC.UK/STAFFSLIVE

One in 14 Stoke and Stafford youngsters use sunbeds, figures reveal

17 November 2009

The use of sunbeds has been linked with skin cancer.

By Mark Astley and Laura Beaney: Children and teenagers in Staffordshire are risking their health by using tanning solariums.

Despite recent Government efforts to raise public awareness of the dangers of UV tanning, more than a 250,000 children across the UK still use sunbeds to achieve a tan.

A Cancer Research survey found the national average of 11-17 year olds using sunbeds is six per cent, with almost half using them at least once a week.

But this figure is even higher at 6.8 per cent in Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford.

Rachel Trigg works at Shades of Bronze, a Stoke-on-Trent tanning salon.

She says it’s important for children to be discouraged from using sunbeds: “We do not allow anybody under the age of 18 to use our sunbeds.

“At Shades of Bronze we always ensure that our customers are aware of the correct tanning procedure.”

Experts agree using sunbeds increases the risk of developing malignant melanoma, the most fatal form of skin cancer.

Sarah Woolnough, Head of Policy at Cancer Research UK, said: “There is clearly still a desire among large proportions of young people, particularly girls, to have a tan.

“There is now a large body of evidence that suggests that sun abuse is harmful. This is a really worrying find.”

For further information on the risks associated with sunbed use and advice on how to identify the early stages of cancer visit: www.cancerresearchuk.org.

STORY PUBLISHED AT WWW.STAFFS.AC.UK/STAFFSLIVE