Wind Farms - Vox Pop

For this assignment, a vox pop on a current issue was conducted. Surnames and addresses have been edited out to protect privacy.

Half of proposed wind farms are rejected

Government report shows a decrease in approvals for onshore wind farms

A report to be published this week claims that the government rejected half the planning proposals for onshore wind farms. Both the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties included expansion of offshore wind farms in their election manifestos, but nothing about the ones on land were mentioned. However, it would be expected that their committal to renewable energy expansion would mean onshore wind farms would be increased, not reduced.

Environmental campaigners want to encourage the use of wind energy, but objections have been raised over the visual pollution they are said to cause. Rural areas are hotspots for wind turbines, but many people consider them a visual eyesore and would prefer them to be far out to sea.

We asked members of the public what they thought of the fact that fifty percent of proposed wind farms on British soil will not be built. 

Student Vicky W, 18, from C---- Court, Nottingham, thinks they should be, but in areas where they won’t disturb anyone and where they will have enough of an effect to make it worthwhile, though she would prefer them to be out to sea.

Peter H, from Verwood, 50, who is a manager for Cross Country Trains, says cleaner forms of energy should be encouraged. Mary L, a retired nurse from Winton, echoes his ideas, saying that wind farms are good for the environment.

Nursery worker Amy L, 20, from Forest Gate, London, says the government should build more wind farms because we are running out of fossil fuels. Bristol stallholder John S, 51, agrees that cleaner forms of energy should be encouraged as it is good for the planet and the environment. John N, a retired mechanic, 64, from Eastleigh, says if it will help us, then it should be supported.

However, some people support the cuts. Sheila B, 50, a bank cashier from Southampton says that if she lived in the country, she would probably be against them, as they are a bit of an eyesore and noisy.

 Andy M, 19, of S--- W--- Road, Bishopstoke thinks the government need to look at other renewable energy sources instead, as it’s not always windy, so it’s not efficient. He believes tidal energy would be a better way forward.

 This idea is echoed by James H, an 18 year old student from Stockport, who believes wind farms are good but their energy supply isn't constant, given that they can only really work when it's really windy. In his opinion, harnessing wave power as a form of renewable energy should also be considered as an alternative.

Dave C, 36, a bar manager from Eastleigh doesn’t think they are very good, and that there are definitely better alternatives.

The final word goes to Tom P, an 18 year old student from The Ridings, Eastleigh, who says that the government just need to admit that climate change is happening.

Fun, Films and Free Food - Original News Story

 For this assignment we had to source our own original news story in the local area. 

Fun, films and free food

Students organise week of events at Bournemouth University

Hungry students received hundreds of free toasties this week at Bournemouth University.

The annual Events Week, organised by Bournemouth Universities Christian Union, featured events at both lunchtime and in the evening. The Christian Union, which represents Christians at both Bournemouth University and the Arts University College Bournemouth, wanted to spread the word of God through serving the community.

Starting on Monday 15^th November, a group were on hand every lunchtime to provide hundreds of free toasties to hungry students, in exchange for a question about God. Members of BUCU were handing out fliers around campus, but by the end of the week, word of mouth had spread and the Atrium was crammed with hungry students.

Such was the demand that those helping out had to fetch more napkins from the canteen, as those they had bought had run out. “We hoped it would be popular, but we didn’t expect there to be this many people,” said Jeremy Booth, president of BUCU.  

Serving the community didn’t stop there, with a range of events in the evenings designed to have something that would appeal to as many people as possible.

Monday evening saw a special screening of Pixar movie Up in the Lawrence lecture theatre, with free popcorn and sweets. Dylan’s Bar was taken over on Tuesday for a special sports themed pub quiz.

There was an open mic night at the Hub on Lansdowne Road on Wednesday evening. This proved especially popular, featuring some incredible local talent. Tea, coffee and cakes were also provided while the entertainment took place.

The finale of the evening events was Grill A Christian night, which challenged students to ask any questions they had about the faith and get answers from members of BUCU. Mr Booth said he hoped this would allow anyone who had become interested in Christianity after attending any of the other events to ask further questions.

The week’s events were completely free, funded by the university.

ZDF Filming - Unplugged at Bournemouth University

On Wednesday 19th January, a film crew from German TV station ZDF - "it's the German equivalent of the BBC" according to one of the crew - came to Bournemouth University to film a segment for their news show about the Unplugged experiment.

Unplugged was a 24 hour experiment where first year media school students were challenged to go without all forms of media and technology. No phones, laptops or iPods were allowed, but to make it tougher still, things such as the radio and newspapers were banned as well.

On the day of the filming, I was filmed first talking with one of my lecturers, Roman Gerodimos, who was in charge of the experiment in the university. Afterwards I was interviewed directly in front of the camera. The hardest part was not looking into the camera as I spoke, instead making eye contact with the woman who was quizzing me.

Once my section was over, I chose to stick around and follow the crew to the library where they were filming an interview piece with Charlotte Gay, another student on my course. I ended up carrying the tripod - "so you learn what it's really like when you go out filming" - and I have to say I woke up the following morning with aching legs that I can only put down to the heavy lifting.

It was a really insightful day though, and I felt I learned a lot from shadowing the crew as well as being in front of the camera. It was the first time I had done anything television related, but it has made me rather excited for my TV module this term.

(Pictures are all screenshots from the news footage. If you want to see it in it's entirety, go to about seven and a half minutes in to see my international television debut.)

Nerve Magazine - December 2010

 A preview of the Christmas television highlights. Layout by Grant Corlett.

Earliest Memory

 For this assignment I had to interview an elderly member of the public about their earliest memory. I have removed surnames to protect privacy.

Almost eighty years on, Joan can still remember her childhood growing up on a Berkshire farm. Although a far cry from spending her adult life as a nurse in Coventry, Joan credited her first interest in the profession as helping her parents wean calves as a child.

Every spring, she would spend several weeks helping to rear the young animals. “It must have been from when I was five until I was about ten,” she explained, looking thoughtful as if recalling happier days. “I’ll never forget how beautiful they were.”

Once the calves were a few weeks old, she helped feed them with a milk bottle every morning before she and her elder brother made the mile-long trek across the countryside to their village school. She recalled several occasions where they were late after taking too long to complete their chores.

It was this passion for helping the young animals that encouraged her to train as a nurse, something further fuelled by the loss of her brother during the war. Now retired and still living in Coventry, Joan, 84, spends her time with friends and family, who still own the farm today.

On holiday in Bournemouth with her friend Cicely, 80, Joan said she has always felt a natural attachment to rural areas, and explained this as being down to her childhood. “We went where there was work,” she explained sadly, detailing why she moved 80 miles away from the farm. “But it’s nice to be somewhere where you feel happy.”