From the very first day of university we were told the importance of work experience. The degree is fair enough but you will go nowhere without a portfolio. Luckily I had done some work experience whilst in 4th year of school where I worked for The Scotsman for a week. I have added to this and have picked up as much experience as I could over the last 4 years. This has included working for the Guernsey Press on 3 occasions, The Alderney Journal, Summerhall Press and am currently doing a weeks experience at CMYK Design.
What follows are a number of pieces that were printed in The Guernsay Press on my first visit in 2006:
Wednesday 12th July 2006
GUERNSEY was treated to its third warmest June ever, with more than 280 hours of sunshine.
There was a warm start to the month, with more than 15 hours of sunshine on the ninth.
The first 10 days saw 40 hours more than average.
The hottest days were on the ninth and 10th when the mercury reached 25.5C.
There were just a few minutes of sun on two days, but four with rain.
The amount of rain in the month was just half the 30-year average.
Nearly 15mm of it, more than half the total, fell on the wettest day, Sunday the 25th.
and
THE Guernsey Velo Club has agreed a deal to repair damage done by bikes on States land.
Members have evaluated damage at Petit Bot after the first of a series of mountain bike tour races earlier this week and will do the necessary repairs.
Maintenance had already been done by the club’s mountain bike sub-commitee, which worked on routes that were previously used for racing.
Sub-Commitee member Dan Thwaite said: ‘The GVC hopes to reflect their strong values of properly maintaining areas used for mountain biking. Preserving such areas is not only in our interest but it is in the interest of all our users of the States-owned land.’
Due to the popularity of mountain biking, the club and the Environment Department had to come to an agreement. It said that it could use States-owned land as long as it took responsibility for leaving the site as it found it.
Environment’s senior land management officer Martin Gavat said: ‘We are aware that parts of the island have been damaged by mountain bikes.
‘However, we also understand that mountain biking is a popular and evergrowing sport that from time to time uses States-owned land for its events. Therefore, it is essential for us to work together to help conserve the island landscape and to protect sensitive habitat.’
Thursday 13th July 2006
EDUCATION minister Martin Ozanne drove in the first pile yesterday afternoon to start the building of a new mainstream school.
St Sampson’s High, which is due to be completed by September 2008, will cost an estimated £45m and will include a six-lane swimming pool, two full sized football pitches, all-weather pitches, play areas, car parking, a new access road and community facilities.
Deputy Ozanne said: ‘There will be 720 pupils at St Sampson’s and there will also be a special secondary school (Le Murier) that will cater for as many pupils as necessary.’
Deputy Ozanne said that these new schools were something of which the whole of Guernsey could be proud and would be of a great benefit to children of the future.
‘It’s going to be a model for schools of the future. It will be fit for purpose, designed and built to last a minimum of 50 years – it is very much a local project,’ he said.
Head teacher-designate, Hazel Tetlaw was enthusiastic about the challenges that lay ahead for her at St Sampson’s High School.
‘It is tremendously exciting. It’s a new era for children in the north of the island,’ she said.
Alan Brown, head teacher-designate of Le Murier, agreed and said: ‘I’m looking forward to working in the school.
‘It’s exciting because there will be a collaboration of staff and a mixing of pupils and it gives us the chance to combine the strengths that both schools possess.
‘It offers the best opportunities for both sets of pupils.’
Friday 14th July 2006
AUTHOR, Liz Weir spent yesterday afternoon in Guernsey prison.
Mrs Weir visited the prison to celebrate 25 years of providing a free service to the islands community, the Guilles-Alles Library.
She travels round the World giving live performances of her stories to adults, children and prisoners.
‘It is very important for prisoners to communicate with people. Libraries are for everyone and when prisoners have time they can be very creative,’ Mrs Weir said.
She will be working in Guernsey prison for a day a week for the next six weeks as she attempts to widen their horizens.
‘I help to train prisoners to record stories so that their children can hear their dads reading to them,’ she said.
Paul Whitfield, deputy govenor, agreed that it was a positive and worthwhile activity that several prisoners took part in.
‘These kind of events encourage prisoners with learning difficulties – it is important for them to have social interaction,
‘It would be a wasted opportunity if you do nothing productive with the prisoners, give them training skills to use when they are released,’ said Deputy Whitfield.
and
TWO years of lies finally came to an end when Luis Figueira admitted that he had caused an accident.
Figueira, 20, had continuously lied about the facts behind the accident. This ranged from denying being in the country, to making up a false driver, ‘Pedro’.
‘I was not driving – he is not here so I cannot prove it.
‘Pedro was driving because I’d had a beer with my lunch so I told him to take the car,’ he said.
Witnesses denied the existence of another person in the car and were certain that Mr Figueira was the driver.
Alexander Lindsey, who was involved in the accident and had over £300 worth of damage done to his car said that Mr Figueira was alone.
‘Luis Figueira was the driver, he just wasn’t paying attention – there was no one else in the vehicle,’ Mr Lindsay said.
Erica James, who was behind Mr Figueira said that she was certain that he, was the only person in the car.
‘The car skidded, I heard screeching and he crashed into the back of the silver car. I only saw one person in the car.’
Mr Figueira continued to lie throughout the trial claiming that he wasn’t the driver of the black Volkswagen.
‘We swapped seats in the car so that I was in the drivers seat.’
Followed by: ‘Someone got out of the car at the time of the accident.’
He did finally admit that he had been lying all along and changed his plea to guilty.
‘I was the driver. I made up Pedro. The reason for the accident was that I was not paying attention,’ he said.
He has been bailed until 10 August when he will return to court to be sentenced. He faces the charges of driving without a licence, driving without due care and attention, and for wasting police time.
Wednesday 19 July 2006
THIS year’s Summer Wave saw a host of local and UK talent come together as thousands turned out a Saumarez Park and were blessed with sunshine.
Former Blue singer Simon Webbe headlined the event and was joined by The UK Team, Son of Dork, Friday Hill, 365, Nylon and five local bands that had earned the chance to perform at Summer Wave through a competition.
The event was compered by Big Brother two winner Brian Dowling whose Irish charm complemented the musical talent on show.
The local bands took centre stage for the opening three hours as their different styles wowed the crowd.
The GYT Singers were the first to perform, followed by US Monster Trucks, Remainder 3, Lucy and the Allstars and Mid Carson Coalition, who got the crowd in the mood for the UK acts.
365, currently touring with Simon Webbe, said they were going to put the cool back into pop and didn’t disappoint as they entertained the crowd with three songs.
Icelandic girl band Nylon were a huge hit, with the crowd loving their blend of songs and dance routines.
The extremely popular Kenzie and his band, Friday Hill, took to the stage next to perform a set of their most successful songs and were called back to perform again after former Atomic Kitten, Liz McClarnon had to pull out of the concert for personal reasons.
Punk rockers Son of Dork were next up and thrilled the crowd with songs from their hit album, Welcome to Loserville.
Simon Webbe and The UK Team closed the concert.
The singer was a massive success as many people arrived late just to watch him perform songs from his double-platinum-selling album, Sanctuary.
Friday 27th June 2008
A couple got an unexpected shock when they found an exotic snake while gardening.
Ivan Roberts, who lives in Forest Road, found the corn snake when he was watering his bushes and was happy that Actions Aid’s Sue Vidamour was on hand to catch it.
‘I went over to water the bushes and my wife spotted it moving about in them.
‘It was very vicious so I’m just glad that I didn’t have to catch it myself. It was coiling itself up and spitting so it was lucky that Sue came to deal with it,’ he said.
However, Mrs Vidamour, Animal Aid founder, was not bothered by the snake’s aggressive behaviour.
‘It had given Mr Roberts a bit of a fright because it had shot its head out to bite him, but it can give only a small bite, similar to a mouse, so I wasn’t too worried.’
Mrs Vidamour said that the snake was definately a pet and hopes that the owners will come forward soon.
‘It is without doubt someone’s exotic pet that has either been thrown out or lost. I’m hoping that someone will claim it when they see it in the paper or we will have to find an alternative home for it.’
Mr Roberts added: ‘You never know with these kinds of situations. We don’t know if it was let go deliberately or not. Maybe the owner was fed up looking after it.’
There has been confusion over whether the snake is pregnant or not.
It was first believed that it had swallowed a mouse but on later inspection it is showing signs of pregnancy.
‘Judging by the size of it, it might be pregnant. It was swollen in some areas. It didn’t seem big enough to swallow a mouse so I think there is a chance that it is,’ said Mr Roberts.
Mrs Vidamour said that although she was no expert on snakes, there was a chance that it could be expecting.
She has asked the owner or anyone with any information to contact her at Animal Aid on 07781 101052.
