The measles vaccination will be available for students and staff on the Tycoch campus on Thursday 30th January, in response to four cases of measles being confirmed at the campus.

The following press release has been issued by Public Health Wales - 29 January 2014:

New measles outbreak in college sparks further MMR call

A new outbreak of measles in a Swansea college has led to a further plea from Public Health Wales for unprotected children and young people to receive the MMR vaccine urgently.

A cluster of four confirmed cases of measles associated with the Tycoch Campus at Gower College Swansea, comes less than a week after Public Health Wales warned of a community outbreak in the area.

In addition to the cases associated with the campus, five further cases of measles have been confirmed in people resident across the Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire areas. 

A further 44 cases of measles linked to four local schools in the Neath and Swansea area were reported in November and December.

No connections can be identified between cases associated with the Tycoch Campus and with cases associated with the four schools in Neath and Swansea, or those cases in the wider community.

A vaccination session for staff and students will be held at the Tycoch Campus tomorrow (Thursday 30 January) and anyone else in the area who remains unvaccinated is urged to speak to their GP to arrange to receive the MMR.

Dr Jörg Hoffmann, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control for Public Health Wales, said: “We now once again have evidence of community spread in the Neath and Swansea areas, resulting in two confirmed outbreaks and a significant number of cases which could not be linked to either of them.  This really is a cause for concern.

“Measles is a potentially nasty infection that can easily be prevented with a safe, effective vaccine and we would not see measles in Wales if enough children and young people were vaccinated.

“Uptake of the MMR vaccine in small children is the highest it’s ever been in Wales but we still have a large number of children and teenagers aged 10 to 18 who are not vaccinated.

“We are also seeing adult cases and would urge anyone born after 1970 to check whether they have either had measles or two doses of the MMR vaccination, and speak to their GP urgently if they have not.  This age group is most vulnerable to the complications of measles. 

“It simply is not worth the risk for anyone of any age to remain unvaccinated.”

Vaccinations will be offered all day on Thursday to staff and students in the Main Hall at the Tycoch Campus in a bid to bring the outbreak at the college to an end.

The majority of cases in the three outbreaks are around the Swansea and Neath area but there have been cases in Carmarthenshire, and they include three people who have needed to be treated in hospital.

Although the age group mainly affected is children and young people aged between 10 and 18, adults have also been affected and are more likely to suffer complications of the infection.

The current outbreak follows the largest ever outbreak of measles in Wales since the introduction of the MMR vaccination, which saw more than 1,200 cases of measles in the same area between November 2012 and July 2013.

In that outbreak, 88 people were hospitalised and one adult died.

Although more than 70,000 catch up doses of MMR were given across Wales during the last outbreak, around 30,000 children and young people in the 10 to 18 age group remain unprotected.

The MMR vaccine is the only protection against measles. The first dose of MMR is usually given to babies at 12 months of age and the second at three years and four months of age, but it is never too late to catch up on missed doses.

The symptoms of measles include a fever, fatigue, runny nose, conjunctivitis (pink eye) and a distinctive red rash.

Measles is very contagious and can cause serious complications and in rare cases can be fatal.

Anyone who thinks they or their child has the symptoms of measles should contact their GP or NHS Direct Wales on 0845 46 47.

Further information on measles, including a link to a video testimony from a mother whose three year old unvaccinated daughter contracted measles, is available at: http://www.publichealthwales.org/measles

The college will be holding an Open Evening at its Llwyn y Bryn campus on Thursday 6th February, between 5.30 and 7.30 pm.    

A range of Vocational Art and Design courses are offered at Llwyn y Bryn, including  fine art, fashion and textiles, photography, creative media and graphic design.  Vocational music courses at Levels 2 and 3 are also delivered here.  There is the opportunity to progress to the Level 4 Foundation course in Art and Design on this campus. 

A group of twelve young people have been awarded scholarships to attend the Sport Academy at Gower College Swansea.

The specialist sporting scholarship programme, offered to promising young athletes by the college, provides a unique opportunity for students to benefit from financial and holistic support so that they can study academic subjects whilst developing their sporting talent to an elite level. They will join an alumni of former students at the college which includes rugby players Leigh Halfpenny, Justin Tipuric, Richie Rees and Eli Walker as well as GB Swimmer Jazmin ‘Jazz’ Carlin.

This year’s new intake of students  join Gower College Swansea after completing their education at secondary schools across the region, including Pontarddulais, Bishopston and Bishop Gore comprehensive schools. Each one joins the academy to study and train in their own chosen sport, such as rugby, hockey, netball, cricket, golf and running.

Mark Jones, Principal at Gower College Swansea, said: “To be able to offer promising young people the opportunity to develop their unique sporting talent, whilst at the same time studying towards an academic qualification, is something that makes us feel very privileged. The staff at Gower College Swansea work incredibly hard and we have tremendous resources on campus that allow us to work closely with the students so that we can have a real input into the future of our young sporting talent. Scholarships such as these also offer young people chances that they may not have otherwise had in life, so we welcome this scheme and its ability to develop the next generation of Welsh sporting heroes.”  

Current scholarship students include Aneurin Donald, captain of the England U17 cricket team, and Angharad Jenkins, who has represented Wales at both hockey and football during her time at Gower College Swansea.

The new group of scholarship students joining the college will each receive £1,000 during their first year. In return, they will be responsible for acting as excellent role models for other students and will undertake a range of promotional activities.

For more information on the scholarship programme, and to receive an application form, please contact Marcus Coxon at Gower College Swansea on 01792 284235 or email marcus.coxon@gowercollegeswansea.ac.uk. 

Pictured are:

Back Row (left to right): Mark Jones (Principal, Gower College Swansea), Ben Roberts (Rugby), Stuart Nicholas (Rugby), Ryan Samuel (Football), Aneurin Donald (Cricket), Ryan Kostromin (Football), Joe Lewis - Phillips (Golf)

Front Row (left to right): Matthew Aubrey (Rugby), Lucy Fligelstone (Athletics), Ruth Lowe (Netball), Lauren Huxley (Thai Boxing), Daniel Huxtable (Kick Boxing) Not pictured: Angharad Jenkins (Hockey and Football)

Broadway Centre will have an inset day this Wednesday 5th February.

Please note that part-time courses WILL still be running as normal.

For more information please contact Broadway lecturers/staff.

After years in the planning, Gower College lecturer Calvin Williams’ vision of creating an innovative and new four-wheeled mountain bike is beginning to come to life, with product testing on the first prototype now well underway.

The idea for this new model, created predominantly for disabled riders, came to life following an unfortunate accident that Calvin suffered back in 2004 – a 50ft cliff-fall in Bracelet Bay that resulted in extensive leg injuries and meant he relied on a wheelchair for a year. It was during this time that Calvin recognised the need to make extreme sports more accessible for disabled people who seek thrill and adventure.

Since its inception at Gower College Swansea, the Welsh Government’s European Regional Development Fund and a number of partners and supporters have each played a key part in driving forward Project ENDURO, providing key funding needed to develop the product and help find its place within the market.

Now well into its development, the first prototype is beginning to make waves on the extreme sports market. Built using carbon fibre seating and top-end suspension, the four-wheeled bike is suitable for both disabled and able-bodied people. Its aim is to encourage extreme sports enthusiasts to grasp the concept of Gravity Biking – cycling at top speeds downhill!

The first prototype has been unveiled and has been tested by a number of people in different conditions, including an Open Test Day and a steering group at Sketty Hall which took place recently. From there, the second prototype will pick up on some of the design, comfort and safety issues identified in the first, which will then be followed by further product testing including opportunities to try out the bike as part of an Open Test day in Snowdonia later on in the year. It’s believed that innovations such as these will continue to lead the way for the future development of both bike manufacturing and healthcare products for disabled people.

Calvin, who is an engineering lecturer at Gower College Swansea, said: “The project is developing well beyond our initial aspirations, with support coming from a number of industrial partners. As time goes on more trails are becoming available to ride the bikes and we are having enquiries from potential riders from across the world. Hopefully we will see a race series soon, where able bodied and disabled athletes will be completing head to head at Welsh trail centres.”

Project ENDURO’s aim is to officially launch the product onto the market, with all major components having been manufactured within Wales, by December 2014.

A group of students from the Tycoch campus of Gower College Swansea are involved in a project at the Swansea Community Farm at Cadle. Those taking part are all students with additional needs, aged between 16 and 18, who are on the first year of the Work Preparation course.  They will be visiting the farm once a week for 10 weeks in order to learn more about where the food on the supermarket shelves comes from and how it is produced.  It will also help them with numeracy and literacy skills. 

Leila Roberts, the Education Officer at the farm, said: “The course looks at all aspects of raising animals and growing vegetables, from incubating eggs and planting seeds, through to meal planning and cooking.  The students will be using maths and writing in a practical setting, as well as looking at wider food issues, including factory farming and how meat is produced – and it should be a lot of fun, too.  Most people just see food as something they get from a supermarket shelf – this will show where food really comes from.  This is the first time that we have done a programme like this – if it is successful, hopefully we will do it again.”

The students’ tutor, Wilma Thomas, commented:  “They are having valuable hands-on experience in handling and managing a variety of animals, including pigs, chickens and sheep, and are thoroughly enjoying their time at the Community Farm.”

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has awarded one of its key learning providers, Gower College Swansea, with the highly sought-after Platinum Approved Learning Partner - making it the only FE college of the kind currently in the UK.

This can be attributed to the outstanding commitment to training and student support by staff at the college and the ability to meet the challenging quality assurance measures and performance indicators set-out by ACCA.

It’s hoped that news of this new accreditation status will encourage accountancy firms and internal finance departments across South Wales to nominate more employees for the ACCA qualification, further contributing to the economy and skilled workforce in Wales.

Paul Sizer, Accountancy Lecturer and Curriculum Leader Accountancy and Finance at Gower College Swansea, said: “We owe a huge debt of gratitude to all staff at the college who continue to work tirelessly to ensure the high quality of learning offered to our students remains at the heart of everything we do. Without their commitment, and that of our students, this highly sought-after Platinum Approved Learning Partner status would not have been achieved. It’s a real feather in our cap to be the only FE college to be given this status and to be able to deliver the ACCA qualification as a learning partner. We must also recognise the hard work and achievement made by our students without whose success we would not have achieved this accreditation”

To enquire about all the accountancy qualifications offered by Gower College Swansea, especially those that are attributed to The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) syllabus, please call Paul Sizer on (01792) 284097 or email paul.sizer@gowercollegeswansea.ac.uk.

Three students from Gower College Swansea are among the four young people chosen to undertake a four-year engineering apprenticeship with leading Welsh travel operator First Cymru.

Over 440 applications were submitted from candidates across Wales for the highly-coveted apprenticeships, which will run at the company’s Swansea and Port Talbot depots.  David Davies aged 17, Jay Edwards aged 20 and Sally-Anne Sheldon aged 19 are all from Swansea originally and studied a Level 2 City and Guilds Vehicle Technology course in the motor vehicle department at Tycoch campus over two years before being offered this exciting opportunity to progress in their career.

During their four year fully-funded training programme, each apprentice will specialise in their chosen area of expertise. David will learn about building train coaches, Jay will learn more about being a fitter and Sally-Ann will lead the way for females in the industry as she gains skills as an electrician.

Further education and training will also be provided by Manchester Business School, First Cymru’s chosen educational institution, where the apprentices will be expected to attend classes for six weeks each year.

Alison Booth, lecturer at Gower College Swansea, said: “We are extremely proud to see our students have moved on to achieve such great things and have this wonderful opportunity to specialise in their chosen career paths. First Cymru is at the forefront of travel engineering in Wales and our three past students are guaranteed a bright future filled with opportunity.”

To enquire about the full-time engineering courses available at Gower College Swansea please contact the motor vehicle lecturing team on 01792 284206.

IFE1 students are holding a collection for the Swansea Foodbank on Tuesday 11th February 2014 from 10.30 to 12.00 and 1.30 - 3.00. The collection points will be the main reception at Tycoch and A20.

The Vanilla Pod will be serving a St Valentine's dinner on Thursday 13th February - the cost of £25 includes a cocktail and liqueur.
 

A charity Exerciseathon took place on 9th February which raised over £2,300 for Macmillan Cancer Support.  Organised by Colette Leleu, a local Pilates insructor, it was held at the Sports Centre on the Tycoch campus of Gower College Swansea.  Nearly 100 people turned up on the afternoon, with the opportunity to sample Fitstep, Zumba, Pilates and Yoga classes, paying just £15 for all four sessions.  Among those conducting classes was Melanie Rogers, of Gavin and Stacey fame, who is a Pilates instructor, alongside being a well-known actress.

Colette explained:  “Sue Johnson and I have been fund-raising for three years now and have raised some £17,000 through running different events.  We are passionate about both the benefits of exercise and fund-raising for charity and wanted to give those supporting this event the opportunity to try a variety of new experiences.  We are delighted with the response and the amount raised on the day.  We are grateful for being given access to the Sports Centre and for the help and support of the staff – indeed, everyone involved with the event has been brilliant!”

Braf yw gweld bod Kizzy Crawford, un o berfformwyr yn ein Ffair Amrywiaeth ar gampws Gorseinon llynedd, yn dod i enwogrwydd yn hysbyseb rygbi BBC Cymru.  Dyma glip YouTube ohoni yn perfformio Calon Lân yn y trêl.

Mae Kizzy yn byw yn Merthyr Tydfil, ac yn ddisgybl chweched dosbarth yn Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Rhydywaun yn Aberdâr.

Wonderful to see Kizzy Crawford, one of our Diversity Fair performers at the Gorseinon campus, making a name for herself in a BBC Wales rugby advert.  Here is a YouTube clip of her performing  Calon Lân in the trailer.

Kizzy lives in Merthyr Tudful, and is a sixth form pupil at Welsh-medium comprehensive school Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Rhydywaun in Aberdare.

A group of Gower College Swansea Media students has visited the Harry Potter Studios in Watford to see the permanent exhibition of the sets, props and costumes that feature in the Harry Potter film franchise.   Those involved are studying a range of courses, including A Level Film Studies, Media Studies and Vocational Creative Media courses at Levels 2 and 3.

Students Shannon Heaven, Elizabeth Bradley and Tobias Lunghi are pictured with tutor Mandy Connell, who said that the visit had been a revelation:  “Students commented that they were inspired to see the craftsmanship involved in film making, particularly in creating the special effects.  The whole experience was instructive and hugely enjoyable.”

Level 2 Plumbing and Heating students at Gower College Swansea recently held an Energy Efficiency Fair, providing advice on boilers, water efficiency, renewables and heat loss in the home.  The event was well attended by staff and students, all of whom valued the information given.

Grant Cockerill and Gareth Davies from Groundwork’s Positive Energy Project had already worked with the students, looking at energy efficiency and renewable energy. They visited the Fair and were impressed by what they saw.  Grant commented: “The students had really thought about sustainability and this was evident in their business ideas. The involvement of the Welsh BAC Enterprise team helped ensure that their ideas were sustainable and made good business sense – something that often goes hand in hand.”

Half term is fast approaching and it's difficult to keep children entertained.  Our 'Active Fun for Active Kids' half term sessions will run Monday 24th - Friday 28th 2014 at Tycoch Sports Centre.

Call 01792 284088 now for more information and to book your place!

Erin Rickard, who was artist in residence at the Llwyn Bryn Campus last term, is to have the work she produced during her residency shown at the Mission Gallery, Swansea. The exhibition – A Blue Process – can be seen from 18th February to 9th March 2014 (further information below). There will be an informal opening on Tuesday 18th February 2014 at 5pm, to which all are welcome and which will provide the opportunity to discuss with Erin her work and experiences as a Welsh artist.

During her time at Llwyn y Bryn, Erin delivered specialist workshops and informal residency talks to art and design students. Since graduating with a First Class Hons degree in Fine Art from Swansea Metropolitan University in 2009, she has worked on a number of projects throughout Wales and internationally. Alongside her artist practice she has worked as a coordinator, film-maker, curator and, in 2013, founded IlfraExpo, a multi-disciplinary arts festival based in southwest England. Throughout March 2014 Erin will be Artist in Residence at Pentagoon Academies in Belgium, further exploring the concepts present within ‘A Blue Process’.

‘A Blue Process’

Mission Gallery presents a selection of new artworks produced during a partnership residency between Mission Gallery and Gower College Swansea. The title ‘A Blue Process’ is taken from the central piece, a new short film performed, filmed and edited by Erin Rickard. Ritual is at the core of her recent artworks, exploring the rite of passage, and the transitional moments we encounter when passing from one status to another. These moments suspended in time offer no resolution; instead they provoke consideration and the importance of a journey. Symbolism is deeply rooted within our human desire and need to understand life, for this reason it plays an important role within Erin’s practice. The Mission Gallery is situated in Gloucester Place in the Maritime Quarter, Swansea and is open Tuesday to Saturday, 11.00 – 5.00

http://www.missiongallery.co.uk/the-space/erin-rickard/

ILS students at Tycoch campus will be selling Welsh themed Gifts, Cards and Crafts in the main reception every afternoon this week.

They have a range of items including teddy bears, lovespoons, badges, bookmarks and cards! Come along and see what you can find!

Our newly formed third year dance company will be exploring 1940's music, dance and song with 'Keep Calm and Carry on Dancing' at Swanseas Grand Theatre on March 14th.

Tickets are just £8 so book yours today to be taken on this nostalgic journey!

The college will be holding further Open Evenings during March, between 5.30 and 7.30 pm. 

The first will take place at Gorseinon on Monday 3rd March, followed by an evening at Tycoch on Thursday 13th March.

Staff will be available to provide information on courses which are on offer for 2014/15 and there will also be an opportunity to view facilities and ask questions about student support, funding, transport, etc.

Broadway Centre will be holding a beauty and holistics fayre at Gower College Swansea sports centre Tycoch on Saturday 22nd March!

The event will be a chance to see whats on offer at Broadway with a range of demonstrations showcasing our hair, beauty and holistic treatments. We will also have a number of local business' exhibiting at the event.

Entry is FREE and the event is 10am-2pm so make sure to come along!