New artists' directory launched in Oxfordshire

A new website which paints a picture of all aspects of the Oxfordshire art scene has been launched.

www.OxOnArts.info provides information for anyone wishing to find local artists and arts organizations in the county, and has been put together by the Oxfordshire Arts Partnership (OAP).

All art forms are catered for, including visual arts, dance, film and music.

Those involved in the arts locally can add information about themselves to the site and people wanting to work with artists can also seek contacts through it.

Details can be found about jobs in the arts, rural tours, funding opportunities and updates on national, regional and local initiatives.

People can place adverts and ask questions about items or services being advertised in the site's classified section.

Martyn Brown, Oxfordshire County Council's Heritage and Arts Officer, said: "This new website was set up to fill a need as it provides a free one-stop shop showcasing artists from every discipline.

“It also supplies information for anyone wishing to find an artist or arts organisation in the county to commission work, for a project or simply to buy a unique present.

"The OAP aims to ensure useful collaboration countywide for the arts with all local authorities working together."

Picture by travel writer and photographer Etain O’Carroll (http://www.etaino.co.uk)

Kingham Hill pupilsurprises David Cameron with impromptu 'thank you'

A boy who faced being sent to a different primary school from his two brothers surprised Witney MP David Cameron by thanking him personally for stepping in to sort the problem out.

When the Tory party leader visited Kingham Hill School, Hector Mahony, 11, took the opportunity approach the MP to say thanks for helping solve the problem.

Hector approached David Cameron minutes before he officially opened two new day houses at the school near Chipping Norton.

In 2002, Hector’s brothers - Seb and Oskar - were pupils at Kingham Primary School, but against the wishes of the headteacher and the school’s governors, the local education authority (LEA), Oxfordshire County Council, decided to remove a temporary classroom and reduce the school roll.

Hector and several other children who also had siblings at the school were told that they would have to find another school.

Parents and staff started a campaign to overturn the decision, but it wasn’t until David Cameron was asked to intervene that a breakthrough was achieved and the decision reversed.

Hector’s mum, Liz Mahony, said: “I was delighted that David Cameron was able to overcome the bureaucracy of the LEA in favour of the needs of children like Hector. As a family we acknowledge that without his intervention, our children would have received a different primary education.”

“I have always wanted to thank Mr Cameron myself for what he did,” Hector said after his exciting encounter.

“I will never forget what he did.”

Xmas appeal for animal toys and prezzies

The Blue Cross animal charity has launched a 'Turkey and Tinsel' appeal in aid of needy pets who will be spending the festive season at its adoption centres in Oxfordshire this year.

Staff at the centres in Lewknor and Burford are asking animal lovers to donate toys, blankets and treats to the centre to cheer up homeless animals over Christmas.

Nikki Smith, Blue Cross centre manager at Burford, said: "It's lovely for the animals to receive Christmas gifts too - toys and blankets help make the centre more cosy and stimulating for them.

“As we receive no government funding, we rely on the generosity of our supporters and all donations will be really welcome. We'd also like to say a big thank you for all the fantastic support we've received over the past year."

The gifts will benefit pets like Emma (pictured), a ginger and white cat who came to The Blue Cross when her owner sadly became too ill to care for her.

Emma is 10-years-old and is looking for a new home in a quiet location. She would be happy living with older children. If you think Emma could be the perfect pet for you, contact The Blue Cross at Burford on 01993 822483.

To donate gifts or money for the animals at the centres this Christmas, contact The Blue Cross in Burford on 01993 822483 or in Lewknor 01844 355293.

Plans for Bicester Market square go on show

Plans to revamp Bicester's Market Square are on display at a public exhibition in the town.

Oxfordshire County Council and Cherwell District Council are giving people the chance to see first hand the three project proposals for the area's redevelopment from 10am to 6pm on Friday, November 27, and from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, November 28, in the exhibition in Unit 7 opposite WH Smith in Crown Walk, Bicester.

People will be able to look at artist impressions of the proposals and view information about the plans, which are designed to attract more people to Bicester's historic centre.

Proposals include new paving, crossing points and changes to parking.

Councillor Norman Bolster, Cherwell District Council's Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Estates, said: "This is an opportunity for people to have their say on how Market Square can look.

"The proposals are set to make the area a more attractive and safer place to be and will also tie in with the planned re-development of Bicester town centre."

You can also see the plans at:

Oxfordshire County Council's Speedwell House, Speedwell Street, Oxford

Cherwell District Council offices at Bodicote House, Banbury and 38 Market Square, Bicester

Bicester Town Council, The Garth, Launton Road, Bicester

The exhibition panels and comments forms will also be available at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/bicestermarketsquare from Friday, November 27, until Friday, December 18.

Win a free weekend in Woodstock this Saturday (November 28)

Win a weekend of a lifetime on Saturday (November 28) in Woodstock.

To coincide with the town’s Christmas lights switch on, participating businesses are offering one lucky winner the chance to stay, eat, drink and shop in Woodstock from Friday night to Monday morning over a weekend in April for free.

The prize includes:

the use of an ‘All New C Class Mercedes-Benz’ for the weekend,
a night at The Bear Hotel,
a night at The Feathers Hotel,
a night at The Marlborough Grill,
a meal at Brothertons
a meal at The Galleria
a meal at The Kings Arms Hotel
and £50 vouchers for various shops, including: Box of Delights, Creative Art Gallery, Devernois, The Real Wood Furniture Company, Woodstock Arts and Antiques.

Businesses taking part in the competition on Saturday will have a ‘The Weekend of a Lifetime…’ poster in the window.

Starting at 6pm a lantern procession will weave its way into the candlelit Town Square to open ‘A Night of a Thousand Candles’. The Primary School Choir will sing a carol and then the Town Mayor, Peter Jay, and guest personality Anthony Henman, will turn on the Christmas lights.

BBC Oxford collecting messages for troops in Afghanistan

The team at BBC Radio Oxford are appealing for people to help them compile a DVD of messages for members of the armed forces serving in Afghanistan this Christmas.

The messages will be taped, collected together and sent to the troops via RAF Brize Norton on December 8.

BBC Oxford staff will be at the following places this Saturday, November 28, and want to hear from you if you are in the area and can come along with a special message of your own to cheer up our boys and girls overseas:

11am to noon, Alworths, Orchard Centre, Didcot

2.30pm to 3.30pm, Garth Park, Bicester (covering the 23 Pioneer regiment home coming parade)

Warm welcome ahead for 23 Pioneer Regiment

Bicester’s 23 Pioneer Regiment will receive a warm welcome home on Saturday with a parade through the town.

The parade stars at 2pm with troops marching down Sheep Street towards the Market Square with the salute being taken en-route.

The soldiers will then continue to The Garth in Launton Road to meet town dignitaries and members of the public.

Councillor James Porter, mayor of Bicester, said: “For me, it is an honour and privilege to be part of the welcome home parade for our troops.

“The welcome home parade is our salute to their courage and bravery and the opportunity for everyone to say ‘thank you’ for what they so selflessly do.”

Bicester Town Council leader, Councillor Debbie Pickford, said: “This is our second homecoming parade we have given 23 Pioneer Regiment.

“The first one was in February 2008 supported by Oxfordshire County Council and Cherwell.

“It was so very much enjoyed by all that we are doing it again on a smaller scale but with just as much enthusiasm.

“I very much would like to thank the garrison and regiment for being such very good partners to Bicester and its council. Long may it continue.”

The regiment has been deployed on operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and as part of the United Nations Peacekeeping force in Cyprus during the past eight months.

Lt Col Simon Wheelton, the regiment’s commanding officer, said: “It has been an immensely busy and testing time for the regiment and our families but I am extremely proud to report that in all three theatres of operations we have succeeded and added real value.

“Fortunately, every member of the regiment returned from operations although, sadly, Private Josh Campbell suffered horrific leg injuries resulting in double amputation.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family as he begins his rehabilitation.

“We feel very privileged and honoured to be welcomed home by the Bicester community.

“We are extremely proud to serve our country and the local community and want to thank the public of Bicester, and in particular the town council, for their continued support.”

Private Campbell will take part in the parade.

The Army Benevolent Fund will benefit from bucket collections held on the day.

Lt Col Nick Leadbetter, chairman of the Oxfordshire fundraising committee, said: “Last year, while the regiment was in between operational tours, the commanding officer decided to raise money for the Army Benevolent Fund, the soldiers’ charity.

“With his initiative and the commitment and energy of the soldiers, they raised over £23,000 and became the closest runners up ever in the army-wide annual competition for the coveted Carrington Drum for unit fundraising.”

The parade follows hot on the heels of a similar event held in Abingdon today Wednesday, November 25) to welcome home soldiers from 3 & 4 Logistics, based at Dalton Barracks (pictured).

Oxford Journal Blog: The Answer

It’s a classic rock’n’roll cliché – the band declared an overnight success that have actually spent years gigging and honing their craft before grabbing their slot in the limelight.

But that is story of Belfast rockers The Answer, who stand on the verge of stardom after nearly a decade playing together, and come to the Oxford O2 Academy on December 5.

The band, who formed in 2000, remain one of classic rock’s best kept secrets in the UK despite just returning from a year-long tour supporting rock monsters AC/DC in the US.

The irony hasn’t escaped The Answer guitarist and founding member Paul Mahon, who is keen to make the stage his own after gigs supporting hard rock alumni like Aerosmith, The Who, The Rolling Stones and Whitesnake.

 “Bands like AC/DC and the Stones are kinda coming to the end of their careers and we want to be one of the bands that take over and I think we’re on our way to doing that,” said a confident Paul on the phone from London.

“We have to get the next record right, that’s crucial; we’ve got to come up with a few timeless rock tracks that will stand the test.

“We don’t want to be stuck with the tag of the eternal opening act.  This tour is the first step to doing that.  You have to set your sights high.

“We played to more than two million people with AC/DC and appeared on the David Letterman show and people in the US would say, ‘What’s it like being an overnight success?’ when we’ve been doing this for 10 years.”

The Answer are halfway there already if cracking second album Everyday Demons is anything to go by.  Every song ripples with energy, and the albums bristles with guitar riffs that could have come from any great rock record from the 70s onwards.

The band – completed by Cormac Neeson on vocals, Michael Waters on bass and James Heatley on drums – have also been boosted by the inclusion of their song Never Too Late in the Guitar Hero World Tour video game.

The game, which sold more than 3.4 million copies in the US in 2008 alone, has helped the band reach an audience that don’t get to hear the sort of classic rock popularized by Thin Lizzy or Led Zeppelin on Radio 1 any more.

"As a new ‘classic rock’ band it’s hard to get radio airplay or on MTV or magazine coverage because of the whole pigeonhole thing, people overlook it without thinking but with Guitar Hero our kind of sound fits in with those classic bands,” said Paul.

“There was an industry competition to get in the game and it came down to us and the Pigeon Detectives.  I don’t really hear them doing a classic rock guitar thing you know so I’m glad we got.

“It’s sold 15m copies worldwide so like it or not people are going to hear it and it’s a massive exposure that way.

“We went to the States and played Never Too Late and people definitely seemed to know it,” Paul continued.

“I think we’re one record away from breaking into the big time with this tour, we’ve played to more than two million people in 14 months and we definitely think we are ready to take it to the next level.”

Everyday demons is out now on Albert Productions.  The Answer play the Oxford O2 Academy on Saturday, December 5.  For ticket information, visit www.o2academyoxford.co.uk 

The Oxford Journal Interview: Mysticsippi Harry Manx

He plays a 20-stringed instrument called the Mohan Veena and bought a house in Canada with the cash he made busking in Japan, so its fair to say Harry Manx has come a long way from his Isle of Man roots.

Dubbed the essential link between the music of the East and West, the guitarist known as the Mysticsippi blues man brings his unique blend of Indo-Blues to The Brasenose Arms, in Cropredy, on Saturday, November 28.

After an itinerant childhood that saw Isle of Man-born Harry settle in Canada, it was the multi-instrumentalist’s merchant seaman father who stoked his love for travel with gifts from far off places.

It was busking in Europe in the bars and cafes of Paris, London, Switzerland and Germany that he started to develop his rich mix of blues of folk, honing it in Japan and India before becoming one of the first practitioners of the Mohan Veena after a rigorous five-year tutelage in Rajasthan with inventor Vishwa Mohan Batt.

“As a kid my father planted the seed in me that there was a big world out there and if I got the chance I should get out and look at it,” said Harry.

“Sometimes I can’t figure out if I travel to play music or play music to support my travelling.”

As well as the Mohan Veena, a guitar-sitar combo that has helped Harry plays the slide guitar, harmonica, six-string banjo and Ellis stomp box, which has helped his blues-flavoured Indian ragas style earn him five nominations for Blues Album of the Year in Canada.

Manz is sure to do just as well with new album Bread and Buddha, a well-seasoned mix of blues, roots, folk and Indian sounds.

“On this tour you will see a bit of a meeting of the music of India and music of the blues; there is some common ground and I try to find it and bring it forward,” said Harry.

“I look at my music as coming from the heart and some folks see something of themselves in that and that’s where the connection is made.

“If I can be a gauge or a doorway to music coming out of India that’s great.”

Bread and Buddah is out now on Dog My Cat Records. Harry Manx appears at The Brasenose Arms, Cropredy, on Saturday, November 28. Tickets are free.

Guide to protecting Oxfordshire's wildlife launched

A new guide to protecting Oxfordshire’s wildlife has been launched by Oxfordshire County Council’s Countryside Service.

The handbook – Biodiversity and Planning in Oxfordshire – has been put together to give local authorities and planners information on special sites, habitats and species in the county and how to preserve them.

Craig Blackwell, Oxfordshire County Council's Ecologist, said: "I have worked for the county council for almost 20 years to protect and enhance the biodiversity and landscape of Oxfordshire for the benefit of local wildlife and people.

"I'm delighted that I can now retire safe in the knowledge that the information needed to carry on my work is available in a user-friendly format.

"This guidance is a great resource for everyone working in biodiversity in Oxfordshire or indeed anybody who is interested in it."

The Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) also helped put the guide together, and conservation officer Rebecca Micklem said: "The wildlife of Oxfordshire is under great pressure, and with the need identified in the South East Plan for 55,000 new homes and supporting infrastructure to be provided in the county by 2026, it is key that development is planned in a way that is sensitive to the needs of wildlife as well as people.

"The production of this biodiversity guidance is an example of just one of the ways in which BBOWT is working in partnership with local authorities to achieve this."

The county is home to 129 protected species and 223 recognised as being a priority for conservation. Protected species in the county include bats, dormice, great crested newts, otters, badgers, common lizards, water voles (pictured), barn owls, red kites and kingfishers.

Ashmolean Dining Room opens to public

The newly re-opened Ashmolean Museum in Oxford also boasts a new restaurant, The Ashmolean Dining Room.

The UK’s oldest public museum opened its doors after a £61m redevelopment on November 7, with the restaurant situated on the roof of the building.

Created by Ben and Hugo Warner, the brothers behind the successful benugo brand, the restaurant has a 90-cover dining room, outside rooftop terrace and private dining area for up to 20 people.

“When our mother, a volunteer at the Museum, told us about the exciting changes at the Ashmolean we knew we had to be involved. Our family has had a long connection with Oxford,” said Hugo.

“This is an amazing opportunity both professionally and personally. Of course, our primary purpose will be to feed the many visitors to the Museum, but this is not our sole purpose. Food, like art and literature, is a way to celebrate culture.

“We want the Ashmolean Dining Room to become part of the fixtures and fittings of a more local Oxford. A place for those to work, and live in and around Oxford, to celebrate anniversaries and special occasions.”

Located on the fourth floor, the Ashmolean Dining Room is designed by the award-winning architect Rick Mather.

The Ashmolean Dining Room to located in Beaumont Street, Oxford. For more information, visit www.ashmoleandiningroom.com

Bicester shoplifter bites off more than he can chew

A shoplifter in Bicester didn’t realize what he was getting himself into when he took on the town’s crime partnership.

The suspected thief was spotted in one of the town’s stores, with staff using their store-net radios to follow his progress as he went from store to store, but unable to apprehend him.

Tim Davies, one of Cherwell District Council’s street wardens, picked up the call on patrol and saw someone matching the description going into a local pub.

“I contacted Kate Ford, one of the police community support officers, who came along and detained the man and called for back up,” said Tim.

“Officers soon arrived and the man was arrested on suspicion of shoplifting.”

Councillor Nigel Morris, Cherwell’s portfolio holder for community safety, street scene and rural services, said: “The street wardens only took delivery of their own radio in the last week or two. We knew it would be a valuable addition to the other equipment they carry and this case proves just that.

“It’s also great to see all the partners involved working so effectively. This is exactly how the store-net system should work. I’m very proud of Tim for his quick thinking."

Neighbourhood Sgt Adrian Thomas said, “This gives a clear message to would be shoplifters in Bicester – you are being watched and you will be caught. Incidents like this are not very common but they are taken very seriously.”

Bicester and Banbury both have four street wardens, providing a link between local communities and the police.

Street wardens also carry out high visibility patrols with Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).

Pictured (clockwise from top left) Bicester street warden Trevor Lewis, Clare Wilcock, Argos manager, Matt Wyett, Iceland manager, PCSO Kate Ford and wardens Julie South and Tim Davies.

How are you getting home this winter?

Festive revellers have been warned to make sure they only use official taxis after a woman was assaulted in Banbury on Saturday, October 24.

The woman was picked up at around 2.40am in the High Street by a man claiming to be a taxi driver, who then made inappropriate conversation with her and touched her leg during the journey.

She demanded he stop the car and then ran for safety, alerting police officers.

Cherwell District Council is reminding people there are only two types of licensed taxis – hackney carriages, often called white or black cabs - and private hire vehicles.

Hackney Carriages have a white taxi plate, a roof sign which lights up when they are available for hire, can use taxi ranks and cannot refuse to take a fare without good reason.

Private hire vehicles display a green taxi plate but the car could be of any colour, will not have a roof sign and can only take fares by prior booking – they cannot ply for trade on-street or at taxi ranks.

Posters will be going up in pubs and clubs encouraging drinkers to have a plan for getting home at the end of an evening as part of the council’s How are You Getting Home Tonight? campaign.

Councillor Nigel Morris (pictured), Cherwell’s portfolio holder for community safety, street scene and rural services, said: “While incidents like this are extremely rare in the Cherwell area, we would urge caution.

“Even when someone has made a prior booking, they should check that the car they are about to step into is operating legally.

“And if they are approached on the street by someone claiming to be a taxi driver, they should be very suspicious unless it is obviously a hackney carriage.”

The car was described as a dark grey or silver Audi estate with roof bars. The driver was a white, Eastern European man with short, blonde hair.

Anyone with information should call Thames Valley Police on 08458 505505.

Oxfordshire landscape picture comp winners on display

The winners of a competition to find the best photo of an Oxfordshire landscape have been announced by Science Oxford Live.

The Overall Winner was Jem Hayward for her picture of Hook Norton village, while Jamie Unwin was the under 16 runner-up for his picture of Sunrise over Otmoor (pictured).

The competition invited local people to send digital photos of their favourite local landscape, with more than 200 photos submitted.

The winning pictures and shortlisted entries from the competition will be exhibited at Science Oxford Live between November 23 and January 9, 2010, to accompany the Wildlife Photographer of the Year.

For more information about the exhibition and related events, visit www.scienceoxfordlive.com

Food waste scheme a hit in north Oxfordshire

A new food waste collection scheme in north Oxfordshire has reduced the amount of mixed waste going to landfill by 20 per cent.

Almost 11,000 homes in Cherwell are part of the scheme, with more towns and villages set to join later this year and in 2010.

Since the first brown caddy collection on October 20, the amount of mixed waste in the green bins has gone down by a fifth and Councillor George Reynolds (pictured), Cherwell’s portfolio holder for environment, recreation and health, said: “It’s no surprise that residents have welcomed the scheme in the way they have.

“When those who live in Banbury and Bicester join the scheme in the New Year, we know they will be just as enthusiastic.

“Cherwell has one of the best recycling records in the south-east and we’d like to thank everyone for their efforts so far.”

Kidlington will join the scheme later this month with Banbury, Bicester and villages in the south of Cherwell being added in the first few months of 2010.

And if food recycling efforts continue at the current rate, 620 tonnes of food waste will have been collected by Easter. With all homes in the district on the scheme, this would equate to 5,000 tonnes in a full year.

For more information visit www.cherwell.gov.uk/foodwaste

Get crafty at Oxfordshire Museum

Visitors to the Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock can buy hand-made items from some of the county's finest contemporary craft designers at a festive exhibition.

The annual Oxfordshire Craft Guild Christmas display brings together artistic skills such as furniture, jewellery, textiles, glass, pottery and woodturning.

The show in the county council-run museum's Brewhouse and Garden galleries runs from Saturday, November 21, from 2pm, until Sunday, January 3.

Tam Frishberg, a potter and member of the Oxfordshire Craft Guild, said: "Our members are highly skilled and this exhibition is a fantastic opportunity for them to show their work and for the public to see and purchase some unique items."

Councillor Judith Heathcoat, Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Safer and Stronger Communities, said: "The work of the members of the Oxfordshire Craft Guild has been a popular exhibition at the Oxfordshire Museum for more than 25 years. It is an excellent chance for the public to see some very unusual pieces of art."

The free-to-enter Oxfordshire Museum is open from 10am to 5pm, Tuesday to Saturday, and 2pm to 5pm on Sunday.

For more information visit www.oxfordshirecraftguild.co.uk

Award-winning mobile library hits the streets of south Oxfordshire

An innovative children's mobile library for primary schools in south Oxfordshire has been launched.

The library boasts roof-mounted solar panels and curved shelves full of books, and recently won the President's Award for the Best Small Mobile Library at the annual National Mobile Library Meet - before it was even in service.

The library houses more than 2,700 books in its colourful book shop-style shelving.

The new county council-run library will visit 36 primary schools in south Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse.

Its predecessor issued 52,776 books last year.

Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Safer and Stronger Communities Councillor Judith Heathcoat said: "This state-of-the-art mobile library will provide primary schoolchildren in the south of the county with an excellent opportunity to access a whole range of books.

“It has already won a national award and I am sure that it will be well received by all who use it."

Hockney exhibition at Creative Art Gallery, Woodstock

A collection of original etchings by renowned British artist David Hockney goes on display at the Creative Art Gallery in Woodstock on Saturday, November 21.

One of the most influential artists of the second half of the 20th century and an important contributor to the Pop Art movement of the ‘60s, Hockney illustrated six classic fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm in 1969.

Rather than illustrating the tales literally, Hockney interpreted each image so it stood on its own, separate from the story.

"I'd always enjoyed the fairy tales very much and thought I'd like to illustrate them. I'd read all the stories, about three hundred and fifty….there were twelve that I really chose and I've still got this other six I might do one day!

“The stories really are quite mad, when you think of it, and quite strange.

“In modern times, it's like the story of a couple moving into a house, and in the next door's garden they see this lettuce growing: and the wife develops this craving for the lettuce that she just must have and climbs over to pinch it, and the old woman who lives in the house next door says well, you can have the lettuce if you give me your child, and they agree to it.

“And if you put it into terms like this and imagine them in their semi-detached house agreeing to it all, it seems incredible.

"These etchings turned out to be some of my most well-known works. "

The six fairy tales are Rumpelstiltskin, The Boy Who Left Home To Learn Fear, Old Rinkrank, The Little Sea Hare, Fundevogel and Rapunzel (pictured). The etchings were drawn directly onto copper plate.

Original Etchings by David Hockney runs from November 21 to December 20 at the Creative Art Gallery, 43 Oxford Street, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, OX20 1TJ. For more information visit www.creativeartgalllery.co.uk

A design for life-saving ambulances

Four engineering undergraduates from Oxford University aiming to design the ambulance of the future visited South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust’s (SCAS) Oxford City Resource Centre as part of their research.

Jayce Homersham, Megan Duffy (pictured left), Daniel Nehme and Kiron Athwal are each applying knowledge learned during their studies to design a specific aspect of tomorrow’s ambulance.

The students met with Operational Manager Maria Langler and Senior Paramedic Gregory Hillen to compare two ambulances in use in the city and to hear suggestions from front line staff on how the ambulance of the future may evolve.

Maria Langler, said: “Helping these students research their design brief represents a novel way for the ambulance service to engage with the community we serve and to possibly feed into ambulance design for the future.

"Our discussion included the size and speed of vehicles, alternative methods of generating power to support equipment, improved patient positioning to optimise treatment, better ramp design, enhanced safety measures for front line crews and many more operational needs to benefit patients and support crews."

The students’ design project focuses on ten specific areas – aesthetics, ergonomics, functionality, safety, quality, manufacturing, timing, economics, ecology and life-cycle.

Jayce Homersham, of Jesus College, said: “We’re very grateful to South Central Ambulance Service NHT Trust for arranging our visit at such short notice. It has provided us with such useful information and we particularly enjoyed hearing about some of the many challenges front line staff face in delivering this essential service to the community.”

Insure you don't get ripped off on car insurance

By Daniel Geoghegan

If you're a driver you will no doubt be aware of just how expensive car insurance can be, especially if you are a driver under the age of twenty-five. However, there are things you can do to reduce the cost of your premium.

The type of car you drive will have a big impact on your premium. The way the insurer sees it is that the smaller the engine of your car, the less likely you are to have an accident.

It's a fair assumption considering that if you were to buy a powerful sports car then you would be much more likely to drive faster and thus increase your chances of having an accident.

If you are a new driver, it is best to buy a car with a small engine initially. The idea is that you build up your no claims history and then an insurer will be prepared to give you a more reasonable premium for a more powerful car.

Reducing the likelihood of your car being stolen or vandalised by fitting it with a good quality alarm and parking it off the road at night-time will also lower your premium.

Avoid paying for your car insurance monthly and pay for it upfront if you can afford to. This is because when you pay monthly, you are actually entering in to a finance agreement with your insurer were by they charge you interest on top of the premium.

If you are really looking to save money, then consider ditching the extras that come with your car insurance policy such as breakdown or legal cover.

For drivers who have just passed their test, look in to taking the Pass Plus course. It is an initiative by the Driving Standards Agency that aims to improve your driving ability in various conditions, such as motorway or night time driving.

The course can be done with your local driving school, at the same price as a regular driving lesson and takes just a minimum of six hours to complete. Once you have passed, an insurer will consider you as being less likely to have an accident and so will significantly reduce the cost of your premium.

When it comes to getting car insurance quotes take advantage of the many quote comparison websites that are out there who get quotes from lots of insurers. However, don't just use one website as one comparison website can sometimes be cheaper than another.

Once you have found a quote that you are happy with, take some time to research the insurer and see what their customers have to say about them. This can easily be done by simply entering the insurer's name in to a search engine. You may find their cheap quote isn't so great if their customer service is terrible and it takes forever to process a claim.

Daniel Geoghegan writes for Zen Car Insurance who provide guides to buying car insurance and a free car insurance quotes comparison service at www.zencarinsurance.co.uk