Wakefield College staff, as we all know, are a talented bunch, and the Community Day gave us the opportunity to use those talents, specialist knowledge and skills for the benefit of local good causes. Around 500 members of staff took part, raising over £1,000 for local charities, supporting 40 different organisations and having a thoroughly enjoyable day at the same time!

What we said:“I really enjoyed the day. It was really worthwhile to give something back.”

“Brilliant!”

“I felt really proud to be telling my friends and family what I was doing.”

“Thoroughly enjoyable – I’d be interested in participating again. I also believe that communities will develop a wider view of Wakefield College.”

“I felt we really achieved something and raised the College profile within the community.”

What local charities said:Trinity Mission and Trinity Methodist Church“A big thank you. What you did for us would not have happened without your involvement. It’s all looking lovely. Thank you so, so much. We hope you enjoyed the day even though you were working in such heat! There could be no clearer demonstration of College’s commitment to the local community.”

Wakefield Hospice“We’re delighted with the efforts and enthusiasm of the additional helpers and we’d like to have their help again in the future.”

Dial Wood Carriage Riding for the Disabled“The volunteers from Wakefield College did a great job of completing the project in one day. Our clients love the horse pictures which have created a great topic of conversation!”

KeepinginTouchThe WaKefield College sTaff neWsleTTer

issue TWo - auTumn 2013wakefieldcollege

Welcometo the Autumn 2013 edition of Keeping in Touch!Reactions to the relaunch of KIT in Summer this year have been excellent, so the editorial team here in Marketing decided to press ahead with Issue 2 for distribution before we break for Christmas.

And here it is!In Issue 2 the spotlight is on Laurent Berges’s programme area which covers Hospitality and Catering, Horticulture, Animal Care and Art and Design. There’s also a report on the Community Day, plus all our regular features such as Unusual Hobbies and Peculiar Pastimes where you can read about Bob Austwick’s Bunny Retreat, and Room 101 where you can find out what makes Marketing Apprentice Sam Jackson’s blood boil. And don’t forget to try your hand at our Caption Competition featuring Shirley Aston in an appropriate action pose!

Please keep your comments, ideas or articles for future editions of KIT coming in by emailing us on KIT@wakefield.ac.uk.

Wakefield College staff Community Day - July 2013On Monday 8th July over 500 Wakefield College staff got stuck in to a variety of community and fund-raising projects across the Wakefield District as part of a new initiative which replaced the old health and well-being CPD day.

Read about another Community Day project on page 10 - The Eastmoor Community Bench Project

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A Day in the Life...

What is your job?I am the Programme Area Manager for Hospitality and Catering, Horticulture, Animal Care and Art and Design. I have a typical Programme Area/Curriculum Manager’s job which mostly consists of planning and making sure that the curriculum is delivered within College and funding guidelines. I am responsible for many Realistic Working Environments and commercial outlets: Gaskell’s Restaurant, Gaskell’s Diner, the Conference Centre and Gaskell’s Deli shop, the animal collection, art studios and the horticulture nursery. I also manage partnerships with Askham Bryan College and Groundwork Wakefield and a multitude of other projects. I do all this to inspire our learners and create the ultimate student experience with us!

how do you typically spend your days?My remit is so vast, that every day is different. College’s core business happens in Programme Areas, so my role is to maintain quality in everything we do. This means lots of checks, budget control and audits. I get involved in all sorts of activities and projects. In Art, we are currently working on a project at the Orangery in Wakefield, and, hopefully, students will be able to work on commissioned projects. In Hospitality, we are working on an exciting project in tandem with Wakefield Archives: the Archives have allowed students to look at 18th century recipe books and plan dishes for a two-week 18th century special event at Gaskell’s Restaurant in March 2014. I especially like international projects, and for that reason, I manage or champion several Leonardo projects in Sweden (Hospitality), Malta and France (Catering) and Croatia (Animal Care). I always look forward to giving students fabulous opportunities such as an educational residential in New York, Stockholm, Shanghai, Toronto and Paris. I am currently working on a fab project in Venice. This is a lot of work, but the result is a brilliant student experience. If you can’t get hold of me sometimes, now you know why!

What do you do when you aren’t at work?I like to spend as much time as I can with my wife Caroline. We are both passionate travellers and we travel a lot. In the past eighteen months alone, we have had some great experiences in Lithuania, Hungary, Bosnia Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Turkey and France of course. I love cinema and enjoy my cinema lounge at home as much as I can! We also enjoy spending time with our grandchildren, Josh who is ten and Theo who is five. Grandchildren are great; you can send them home when you’ve had enough! After fifteen years in the UK I have become a keen gardener and enjoy our garden very much.

favourite food / drink?Although I am southern French, my father is Spanish, and I grew up with Pyrenean and Mediterranean food, but my taste has changed over the years and now I especially enjoy fusion cuisine. I like all food styles really, so long as it is good food, prepared by trained specialists who understand ingredients. Drinks-wise, I am a bore. I don’t drink alcohol very often, so I’d have to say my favourite drink is Earl Grey tea or a decent cappuccino. I am partial to the best Polish vodka when I feel like it.

is there something unusual about you or that you’ve done?I was a Gendarme for a whole year (that’s Military Police in France), as part of my national service. It was a great experience, where I learned about self-discipline and respect – and how to handle a 9mm hand gun. I was actually a very good shot! Sadly, I have also seen lots of road accidents, which probably explains my dislike for cars and driving.I love books and I am the proud owner of an entire first edition collection of all Ian Fleming’s James Bond books – they are safely locked away. It took me ten years to find them all. My copy of Casino Royale is a first edition, fifth print (a first edition/first print can cost anything from £5000 to £250,000).I worked at Les Jardins de l’Opera in Toulouse with Michelin starred chef Dominique Toulousy, who was also a panel judge during our end of year exam at my Hotel School in Toulouse – no pressure! I also worked with Michel Saran for a while before moving on to hotel work, which if I am honest, I actually much prefer. I was lucky enough to work with a demanding international business clientele which helps to raise your own standards. You have to become very sharp, fast thinking and resourceful.

Laurent Berges, Programme Area Manager – Hospitality and Catering, Horticulture, Animal Care and Art and Design.

fireworks and stressCelebratory nights are approaching which means one thing – fireworks! The noise and lights coming from fireworks affect our pets every year and some pet owners may not even realise it. The signs that our pets are becoming stressed during these events can include (but are not limited to): pacing, panting whilst relaxed, erratic behaviour, trying to escape or hide from the situation, restlessness and trembling. There are various things we can do to reduce the amount of stress for our pets and to keep them safe.

• Walk dogs during daylight hours.• Keep cats indoors.• Cover over any outside animal homes.• Keep curtains, doors and windows shut

before the fireworks are likely to begin.• Provide somewhere quiet and dark

where your pets can retreat to if they feel stressed – this could be a cupboard or a cage or table with a blanket over.

• Blank out any outside noises with the radio or the television.

• Seek veterinary advice for extremely nervous or stressed animals – medical and herbal remedies can be provided to help relax animals.

• Leave the radio or television on if you leave your pets alone at home.

• There is a heightened risk of animals escaping and running away during times of high stress so make sure that your pets are micro-chipped and that all contact information is up to date.

Be careful not to instil nervous or frightened behaviours in your pets – ignore any unwanted behaviours, don’t fuss over scared animals. Create a calm, distracting and playful environment for your pets to take their mind off the fireworks and to help them realise there is no need to be afraid.

laurent Berges, Programme Area Manager – Hospitality and Catering, Horticulture, Animal Care and Art and Design.

Keep your pets safe – animal care tipshannah flounders fdsc co-ordinates our level 1 animal Care provision. hannah is a specialist in aquatic species.

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All for CharityAs part of the College’s Community Day on July 8th 2013, Hospitality and Catering and Art and Design staff joined forces to run a pop-up store at the Ridings Shopping Centre to raise money for Action for the Blind.Staff in Hospitality and Catering baked a range of pastries, cakes, gateaux, biscuits, cupcakes, etc. whilst the Art and Design team produced cards and ceramic items to sell on the day. As a result of all the hard work prior to the event and the event itself, they raised £300 from sales.A representative from Action for the Blind came for lunch at Gaskell’s Restaurant in October to discuss how the charity can help and support College. At the end of the meal we presented the charity with a cheque for the money raised during the Community Day.

At Wakefield College we have some very determined and committed staff who spend their spare time doing some amazing things to raise money for charity. Read on to find out more.

My 11 year-old daughter’s hobby is to lobby. Along with the predictable pubescent pursuits of vegetable dodging and headset-bedecked Minecraft marathons, she boasts a mounting collection of letters from Number 10 in response to her various campaign-of-the-moment missives. Her most recent communiqués have involved discipline in schools and support for the same-sex marriage bill and, whilst I commend her commitment to a better Britain, I am slightly apprehensive about my future as a parent of a teenager with passion.As a case in point, Rachel’s most fervent and protracted campaign (running since 2006) has been in personal pursuit of a puppy. In typical, poor-substitute style, I initially sought to compromise and bought a budgie. Unfortunately for the budgie, the purchase was made a few weeks before our 2006 Ofsted inspection. Inspection is always a demanding time and, despite the College coming out of it well with an all-round ‘Good’, I’m ashamed to confess that the budgie didn’t survive the week.Fast-forward 7 years and the Why We Should Get A Puppy campaign gains momentum. As I write this, I’m trying to recollect my precise moment of weakness but the campaign was so multifaceted, with so many subtle parental-guilt levers, that a distinct turning point is not lodged in my memory (although it was probably around the time that Cameron’s dastardly deeds were unearthed in Emmerdale).

One evening, during the summer, we performed a googlesearch to determine, hypothetically, what our ideal dog breed would be should we ever decide to add to our small family at a time far in the distant future. Sensing impending weakness, I employed delaying tactics and asked Rachel to compile the pertinent information (personality characteristics and health issues of all breeds, locations and prices of current litters etc. – this wasn’t supposed to be easy!) to support the research. Unfortunately, she did a really thorough job, and so we are, as of three weeks ago, with puppy.

So, here’s what I’ve learned in the past three weeks:• Always check the dishwasher for rogue

puppies before switching on • Once puppy has been removed from said

dishwasher, ensure that dishwasher tablet is still ‘in situ’ and not ‘in puppy’

• Aldi sells baby gates for £15 • There is no limit to how many baby gates

can be fitted in one home• Every other puppy at puppy training is

more advanced than yours• Formative feedback from said puppy

training class consists of ‘use a deeper voice’

• Puppies need (according to Rachel) lots and lots of clothes

• Nothing will persuade a puppy wear a pink anorak with a fluffy hood and diamanté on the back

• My carpets need cleaning• My skirting boards don’t need cleaning as

the puppy has done this for me• When advised to change my puppy’s diet

slowly in case the new food upsets her stomach, I should have listened

• When picking up poo in the dark, ensure you are not picking up a slug in error

• I have fallen in love with my puppy

• I wish I’d got one years ago

NB: As I should have known, Rachel’s campaign ended with the purchase of the puppy. My initial role was ‘grandma’ but I’ve now been promoted to ‘mum’; so guess who’s doing the walking, feeding, grooming, training, poop-scooping…

When Jo Simister’s daughter Rachel decided to use her expert lobbying skills to support her case to get a puppy was she successful, or did Jo manage to resist such a well-planned and perfectly executed campaign?

Pupdate!

laurent Berges, Programme Area Manager – Hospitality and Catering, Horticulture, Animal Care and Art and Design.

sasha (she’s a Yorkiepoo!)

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Getting to Know YouWedding Bells & Bouncing Babies

A few steps leads to a marathon of milesJulie Chapman, Library Assistant, has just completed her first marathon. It all started four years ago when, in her own words, she ‘struggled to run to the end of the street and back’. There were several sightings of Julie over the coming months. She was pounding the pavements in the Sandal area, headphones in and a look of concentration on her face. All that hard work culminated in a successful Sheffield half marathon in 2010.

Julie toyed with the idea of a full marathon and then signed up for the popular Jane

Tomlinson Yorkshire Marathon on the 20th October. By now the rest of the LibraryPlus team had worked out she could run as far on her own as the rest of them put together! They also had no doubt that she would be successful and they had the photo to prove it…

The final words go to Julie…..”My advice to anyone wanting to achieve certain things in their life would be just be determined, think positively and even when negatives come along and knock you back, just make sure you NEVER GIVE UP!”

Curtis abbot, HR Officer, got married on 13/07/13 to Kayleigh Brown. They have been together for over 10 years. Their honeymoon was a Fly drive in California / Nevada, stopping off in San Francisco, Death Valley, Las Vegas, Los Angeles.

lisa Theaker (formerly Cooper) got married at St Margaret’s Church in North Elmsall, Pontefract on the 29th June 2013 to Martin. They had their reception at Rogerthorpe Manor Hotel in Thorpe Audlin and a wonderful day was had by all.

Kathryn mcCone is the proud mother of Layla who was born at Pinderfields Hospital at 7.15am on the 8th November 2012. She had her first birthday a few weeks ago. Kathryn has recently returned to work after being on maternity leave.

Pia Florence is the beautiful baby granddaughter of Bob austwick. She was born on August 19th and is Bob’s first grandchild.

lisa iredale (formerly Scholefield) married David on the 17th August 2013 at Hightown Church, Castleford. They had their reception at King’s Croft, Pontefract.

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What’s on your bucket-list?Mine’s full of the sort of things most people have – see the Northern Lights, ride Route 66, do a parachute jump, that sort of thing. But I’ve always had one item to cross off which I wrestled with actually doing as it seemed somehow ghoulish. However, in October 2012, my then 13 year old daughter, Grace, and I headed to the ancient city of Krakow in southern Poland with two key destinations in mind: the first was the Auschwitz complex and the second was the Schindler factory which features heavily in Schindler’s List. People react differently when you say you’re going to an extermination camp – some recoil and say that they couldn’t bring themselves to go as it would be too upsetting; some agree enthusiastically, saying it’s also on their list; and a surprising number say they’ve already been, including quite a few of my colleagues here at the College! Grace and I both have a keen interest in the impact of prejudice and discrimination, and we were both keen to see for ourselves the extremes of behaviour these can bring about. World War II is also an interest of mine, particularly the psychology of a nation that enabled the Third Reich to come into being. So, late one Monday night, we arrived to snow in Krakow, found our little hotel in the Jewish corner and set off bright and early the following day on our guided tour of Auschwitz. Dark tourism, as it’s called, is very well-organised and apparently very popular - I was amazed at the volume of people milling around the reception, all waiting for their guides. The atmosphere wasn’t sombre and school trips were there from all corners of Europe. Auschwitz I is the former Polish army barracks which became a concentration camp and later extermination camp and it’s here that the Auschwitz museum exhibits are displayed. Our tour took us around a selection of the Blocks and through the displays. These can all be viewed on the Auschwitz website but there is a difference when you’re there. The enormity of the operation hits you as you see the mountains of human hair, the piles of suitcases, all bearing the names of those who would never collect them, and the piles shoes, which seem to go on forever. And the inconceivable bit is that what’s on show is only a tiny fraction of what was stolen from those who perished. What left me reeling, though, were the infants’ clothes and shoes. Intellectually, I knew that children had been murdered, but seeing the clothes that children and babies had worn made that intellectual knowledge an emotional one. I have to say that I was very proud of the way Grace handled the tour; I only saw her “wobble” on two occasions - the first of these was by the execution wall when our guide informed us that the youngest person executed against the wall was two and a half months old.

Our guide then escorted us to Auschwitz II – Birkenau, a few kilometres away. Even as we approached and saw the railway lines running up to the “Gate of Death” and that infamous tower, I felt anxious. Birkenau is bleak. It has no redeeming features and reeks of past despair. The tour included a reconstruction of the cattle cars used to bring deportees to the camp; a while on the Judenrampe – the ramp where Mengele and others made their selections of who would live and who would die; viewing of the undressing room and the gas chambers blown up by the SS, as well as an insight into the conditions of prisoners’ lives. It was on the ramp that my daughter had her second “wobble” as we trod the path trodden by so many mothers and children to their deaths. The following day, we walked to the Schindler factory which opened as a tourist attraction in 2010. Whilst this recounted a brutal history of Krakow under the Nazis, it was also more uplifting as Oskar’s wheeling and dealing saved so many lives. We visited one of the few remaining synagogues, used by the Nazis during the occupation as a stable, and took an electric minibus tour of the city, taking in the remnants of the Ghetto wall and the haunting empty chairs holocaust memorial. If you ever do any equality and diversity training, you’ll probably hear of the Allport scale which traces the stages of discrimination from making seemingly harmless jokes about a minority group to genocide. Our visit to Krakow certainly brought that abstract scale to life. The lessons from Auschwitz have not, however, been learnt and although we have not again seen the industrialisation of extermination, we continue to see genocide occurring across the globe. That’s why I believe we have a duty to really educate the young people in our care about the dangers of discrimination and prejudice and to get involved in spreading a message of tolerance and understanding. If anyone would like more information about visiting Auschwitz, there is loads on the Auschwitz-Birkenau website where you’ll also find ready-made lessons about the subject: http://en.auschwitz.org/m/If you’d like to find out about opportunities to get our students involved in learning the lessons of Auschwitz then the Holocaust Educational Trust is a good place to start www.het.org.uk.A special thanks to Jannine Godfrey for persuading me to go!

A mini-break with a difference By Sue Slassor

Part of the memorial at Auschwitz-Birkenau which might be difficult to read but is very stark (above).

The Gate of Death x2.

My daughter at the Schindler factory with lots of pots and pans.

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What does that department do?hospitality, Catering, horticulture, animal Care, and art and designAs you can see from the title, this is a department which covers a wide range of subjects! It’s also a department that relies on specialist facilities and RWEs (realistic work environments). These include Gaskell’s Restaurant, Conference Centre and Diner, and Petit Gaskell’s Deli, which are all commercial activities used by external customers and generating an income. Gaskell’s Restaurant has won the Wakefield Civic Society Dining Club’s “Best Restaurant in Wakefield” award three times, and has been shortlisted for it again this year. Since first winning the award in 2010, the restaurant’s bookings and income have soared, so it’s been well worth entering the competition.

The College’s Horticulture provision has been steadily growing – no pun intended! We introduced a Level 2 Horticulture Diploma this year and appointed a core staff member to supervise our courses. We currently deliver Horticulture in partnership with Groundwork Wakefield, and students get to carry out practical work at Thornes Park Nursery.The Animal Care team is busy planning for their move to F Block. The new and improved small animals collection will relocate to the ground floor of the F Block Annexe, and classrooms and IT facilities will be nearby. Level 3 Animal Management programmes are delivered through our successful partnership with Askham Bryan College in York. There is also an exciting

work placement project at a vulture rescue centre near Pula, in northern Croatia, which will be our second time in this country with animal care students.The highlight of the year for Art and Design students is when their work is displayed, art gallery-style, for all to see. In June 2014 the art show will be open for two weeks instead of one, coinciding with taster and pre-induction days. Part of the show will be at Gaskell’s. We piloted the new format this year and it was very successful, attracting many visitors to the College. In 2014 we’re stepping up the format, inviting school and future art students to attend the show. Art and Design is a very successful department – this year it achieved a staggering overall 91% success rate across all qualifications!

meet the TeamProgramme area manager – Laurent Berges MSc

I gained my post at Wakefield College 10 years ago, after several years as a lecturer and advanced practitioner/ILT Champion at Lincoln College. I studied hotel management at the Ecole Hoteliere de Toulouse in France, following this up in the UK with a Master’s Degree in International Management as well as my teaching qualifications. Before my career in education, I worked in high profile Michelin starred restaurants in Toulouse, and several hotels.Whilst working in hotels I always enjoyed event management, and I still relish organising large scale projects like complex student residentials. At the moment I’m working on a Hospitality work placement in Sweden and a residential in Venice primarily for art students. All the department’s commercial activities, projects and placements require high level business and budget management skills – luckily I’ve got a good head for business!

Curriculum development manager – Sally Thompson BEdSally is second in command in the programme area, supporting all the key elements of its management. She also plays an active role in the day-to-day management of Animal Care and Horticulture. Sally won the Principal’s Award in July 2013.

Caption????

The Animal Care Team.

The Art & Design Team

Hospitality & Catering Team

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hospitality and Catering staffJohn Bromley A versatile chef and a pastry specialist, John is responsible for the Level 1 Diploma in Professional Cookery and is one of the College’s Learning Coaches.

Julie ChanJulie has looked after our Entry Level students for several years and is also Gaskell’s supervisor, involved in organising events and marketing for the restaurant.

ron englishUntil recently, Ron was supervising the EV process across all the City & Guilds range of qualifications, with brilliant results. Currently he’s looking after the Level 2 Diploma in Professional Cookery, and is involved in School Liaison events and EU Leonardo projects.

mark fulton, hndMark is in charge of our part-time and short courses. He is heavily involved in our Level 3 BTEC programme and also organises our EU Leonardo student work placements at the Hilton Hotel near Valetta in Malta.

damian hunsleyDamian oversees our Level 3 BTEC Subsidiary and Extended Diploma in Hospitality programmes. He also organises day visits and is our cake decorating specialist. He recently delivered a NEET project at Freeston Academy in Normanton.

Cath KayeCath is one of our Storekeepers and Food Technicians who supports the store team’s daily operations, which includes the maintenance of accurate stock control records.

Kathryn mcConeAs Gaskell’s Restaurant receptionist, Kathryn is kept busy with table reservations, confirming bookings and taking deposits and payments from customers. She also looks after mail and general admin tasks and supervises the opening of Gaskell’s Deli shop.

laura nutten, Ba (hons)Laura is one of our Storekeepers and Food Technicians. Laura supports Tracy Pearson in providing foods for all classes and monitoring portion control and returns.

Tracy PearsonTracy has an essential role in our team, because as Senior Technician she is responsible for buying commodities for all cookery classes and commercial operations. She works closely with Finance to ensure we always stay in budget. She obtains quotations for equipment from suppliers, and is also one of the College’s first aiders.

darren sharpeDarren is our Level 3 Advanced Professional Cookery specialist and looks after cookery projects and internal and external competitions. Darren has featured in the press this year, having led several high profile local events.

animal Care and horticulture staffmarie Chapman Bsc (hons)Marie currently looks after our Level 2 Animal Care course and is in charge of the Leonardo work placement in Croatia.

hannah flounders Bsc (hons)A specialist in aquatic species, Hannah co-ordinates our Level 1 Animal Care provision.

helen hammondYou may know Helen better as an IT Services Site Officer, but she is also our weekend and holiday Animal Care Technician. Animals need feeding even when the College is closed!

Clare hollingsworth BsC (hons)Clare looks after the Level 3 Animal Management students, in partnership with Askham Bryan College.

darren farrA recent appointment, Darren looks after students on our Level 1 and 2 Work-Based Horticulture courses.

art and design staffellie Brear Ba (hons)Ellie is a textile and fashion specialist, and looks after the Level 2 Diploma in Art. She has just started work on an art project with Wakefield Police which will involve art students producing art work for public display.

Jen Burton Ba (hons)A fine arts specialist, Jen leads the Level 1 course which we run jointly with Performing Arts, and is fully involved with the Level 3 Foundation programme.

lynsey Collinson Ba (hons)Lynsey is in charge of our pre-university Foundation Diploma in Art and is a surface pattern specialist.

emily davisEmily is our part-time Floristry lecturer who has helped us to introduce a Level 3 Floristry programme for the first time this year.

emma hargill Ba (hons)Emma looks after our Level 3 90-Credit and Extended Diploma in Art students. She is a ceramics and textile specialist, and delivers ceramics workshops for our students at the Art House in Wakefield. She is also working on a project with Beam, a company based at the Orangery.

gary Jones Ba (hons)Gary is our Art and Design 3D Technician, responsible for setting up art studios and providing support to staff and students.

sally Poskitt Ba (hons)A textile design specialist, Sally looks after the AS and A2 courses in Art and Design.

What’s your new Year’s resolution?As the festive season quickly approaches and we look forward to parties, mince pies, the odd sherry or two and time with our families, it won’t be long before we turn our attention to the New Year and our intentions to make 2014 the year we are going to do XY and Z. With that in mind, KIT would like to hear about your New Year’s resolutions, so when we are back from our Christmas break, send in your NYRs to KIT@wakefield.ac.uk. Don’t worry, we’ll keep them anonymous!And to give you a bit of inspiration, have a look at the top 40 New Year’s resolutions for 2013:

1. Read more books2. Save more money3. Lose weight4. Redecorate5. Take better photos6. Go travelling7. Sell old unwanted stuff on eBay8. Buy a tablet9. Organise photos10. Do something for charity11. Spend more time with kids12. Buy a Sunday paper13. Less TV time14. Connect my computer to my TV15. Leave work on time more often16. Less time on Facebook17. Totally revamp my wardrobe18. Try a new hairstyle19. Get a six-pack20. Eat less chocolate21. Socialise more in real life rather than

Facebook22. Drink less alcohol23. Buy less coffee from Starbucks/big chains24. Start my own business25. Tell someone I have feelings for them26. Quit smoking27. Gain a promotion28. Learn how to use Twitter29. Run a half or full marathon30. Call people more than text31. Cut someone out of my life who isn’t

good for me32. Meet online contacts in real life33. Watch less reality TV34. Text people less35. Try to save relationship36. Try extreme sports37. Get better at social networking38. Stop contacting/going back to an ex-partner39. Have a face-to-face with my boss to find

out where I stand40. Do a bungee jump

The poll conducted by LA Fitness asked 2,000 people what their aims were for 2013.

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Just For Funsam Jackson, Marketing Apprentice, tells us a few of his bugbears that he would put in Room 101.In my Room 101 I would place today’s public transport system. I have experienced just how bad this can be on numerous occasions: buses running an hour late with no explanation, drivers passing straight by me while I’m waiting and minimum-capacity trains used at peak times. It all adds up to a very negative experience of our public transport system.In a time of global warming and rising fuel prices, surely we should be looking at public transport as a viable alternative, but in its current state this isn’t a workable option. Another irredeemable feature of public transport is the type of people who use it. Yes, 95% are decent citizens who are courteous and nice but it’s the 5%, the ones who feel they need everyone else on the bus to listen to their music, the ones who treat the bus as if there was nobody else on it, that really grind my gears. In Japan it is frowned on if someone so much as answers their phone on the bus, and they have recently started to have ‘manners police’ on public transport. This is, I admit, taking it a little too far, but it would certainly make the experience a whole lot more tolerable.

Another addition to my Room 101 would be football. This might be a little controversial as the vast majority of people love the sport, but I myself have never really caught on to it. I feel that once you’ve seen a couple of matches you’ve seen them all; surely there is a point where even avid fans get bored? When it’s on TV it seems to get priority over all other programmes, and when the World Cup or European Cup is on - well, there’s just no escape!The last thing I would put into my Room 101 would be 80% of today’s chart music. It seems that we have moved away from songs meaning something and inspiring people to tracks riddled with clichés about relationships and an abundance of songs about going out partying. I’m not saying that all music produced today is rubbish because that’s not the case. There are bands and artists writing meaningful stuff and pioneering new genres, but it just seems that people don’t want to listen to someone who doesn’t twerk on TV or own a diamond encrusted Lamborghini.Send your own Room 101 to KIT@wakefield.ac.uk

Claims to Fame

I love living in England but I have a pet hate: gravy. Nothing wrong with gravy, I love gravy, but it has a time and place. It’s great with a traditional roast dinner, but there is much more to sauce-making than just plain old gravy granules served with every dish.The best hot sauces are made with veal, beef, chicken, vegetable or fish stock. It usually involves some sort of infusion, followed by emulsion, reduction, or the use of a thickening agent.The following sauce is a fine cuisine classic staple, but simple enough for anyone to make. It’s best enjoyed with beef roasts, freshly pan-fried premium cuts of red meat or roasted duck. It is a reduction method, and does not involve the use of a thickening agent such as flour.

red Wine and shallot sauceIngredients for 4 people:4 small shallots40g butter2 teaspoons of vegetable or sunflower oil25 cl of the cheapest possible red wine100cl of veal or beef stock1 teaspoon of sugar1 teaspoon of red fruit puree (or jam)Salt, pepper

• In a medium saucepan, melt the butter with a drizzle of oil.

• Cut the shallots into fine slices and lightly brown in the pan.

• Add the red wine and simmer over a low heat until the mixture loses its acidity.

• Add the sugar and fruit puree (or jam). Give the mixture a brisk whisk.

• Simmer for a couple of minutes.• Add the veal or beef stock, whisk and bring

the mixture to the boil.

After boiling, simmer over a low heat until the mixture naturally reduces and thickens. This is the crucial stage of making the sauce. It is ready when the sauce sticks to a spoon and has a shiny appearance. This may take up to 20 minutes or even longer depending on the type of stove and pan.Pass the sauce through a fine sieve. Your finished sauce should have a shiny reddish colour and should be very smooth and silky.Enjoy!

Favourite RecipesLaurent Berges shares one of his recipes.

lisa robinsonAt 4 am on a bitterly cold and dark Saturday morning last October (it was showing -4 degrees on the car dashboard), I got up and made my way to the Ridings Shopping Centre. At 4.30 I arrived and joined a line of people waiting patiently to get a wristband which would allow us to meet our favourite star and pre-order his new book.The doors opened, and I was one of the lucky ones who managed to get a wristband. By 7.30 am I was back at home, warm and cosy, just as the rest of the household were getting up! Eventually the big day arrived and my son and I set off to meet our favourite star. Obviously it was my young son who desperately wanted to meet him, not his sensible Mum, but I must admit I had a few butterflies in my stomach as we queued outside Waterstones with the other fans.At last it was our turn to meet the lovely Olly Murs! He was charming and very chatty and we came away with a signed autobiography, a photo on my phone and lovely memories! He even gave me a kiss!

margaret PawsonI was recently interviewed by David Grant for BBC One’s Songs of Praise. The episode aired on the 17th November and featured Wakefield as a city, also showing its beautiful surrounding countryside. ‘Wakefield Way’ singing came from Wakefield Cathedral.

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Love Your College – and win a prize!

Bob said: “We flew out on Saturday 13th July from Heathrow airport after driving there. We stayed in the Sheraton hotel on “The Walk” in Dubai and the highlight of the week was visiting the Burj Kalifa – the world’s tallest building. The shock of the trip was when we arrived at Heathrow to find that the long stay car park was “coned” off. Due to the fact that we were close to the deadline to fly I decided to put my car in the short stay car park. When we got back after our fantastic trip it cost £329 to get it out. Whoops!”

In the last issue of KIT we asked you to send in photographs of yourselves sporting your Love Your College T-shirt somewhere unusual, interesting or exotic! We had quite a few entries but the most unusual came from Bob Austwick and Charlie Gilkeson.Bob showed off his T-shirt in Dubai Burj Al Arab and Charlie stepped up to have his photo taken on Lenin’s statue in Ukraine.Due to the lengths Charlie Gilkeson was prepared to go to in order to have his photo taken on Lenin’s statue, the Communications Champions have decided he should be the winner; congratulations Charlie, please contact Alex Hanna in Marketing to find out what you have won.The T-shirt challenge will return next summer, unless, that is, some of you fancy donning your T-shirts over the festive period! We would gladly welcome photos of you helping Santa and his elves or maybe you want to dress up your snowman in a Love Your College T-shirt! Come on, let’s up the ante; keeping it legal of course!

Charlie Gilkeson, Engineering Lecturer, bravely stepped up to have his photo taken on Lenin’s statue in a town called Mariupol in Ukraine. About two minutes after the photo was taken Charlie had the pleasure of meeting the local police and was detained for fifteen minutes for standing on the statue!You can just see the police car parked next to the monument in the right hand corner!

Bob at Dubai Burj Al Arab wearing his ‘Love Your College’ community day t-shirt.

Wakefield College Cycling Club

Fancy joining a group of fellow cyclists going for a ride? If you’re a mountain biker, a road cyclist or just want to enjoy a ride on your bike in the company of like-minded adults, then why not help us to start a College cycling club?We would like to arrange local rides from each campus. At the moment there are no plans to make it competitive - it’s just for fun and to enjoy the exercise – but who knows which direction the club could take in the future! Send an email to GoGreen@wakefield.ac.uk if you are interested and we will start the wheel rolling!

Coast to Coast, may 2014 - are you up for an adventure?To support College sponsored charities, improve the profile of cycling for fun and work through the Go Green and Ride to Work cycle schemes, we are inviting you to rise to the 2014 Coast to Coast challenge.

You will need:• A bike that is in operating condition - but don’t worry because we will get a free cycle check done for you before the event.

• Cycle helmet (essential).• Cycle clothing (you can always tell who ignores this advice).

• A tent. • A sense of humour and a desire to make a difference to the College supported charities.

We will provide:• Transport for you and your bike from Castleford Campus to the start line, and from the finish line back to Castleford.

• Transport for your kit throughout the event.• Rider support during the event.• Campsites booked on your behalf.

All you have to do (which is not as bad as you might imagine) is cycle 140 miles from Whitehaven to Tynemouth over two and a half days! It is without doubt one of the most beautiful parts of the country and provides a challenge that really is worth the effort. You need to have a reasonably good level of fitness but you do not need to be an athlete.We intend to arrange some training events from March onward. You can complete the journey on any type of bike. My friend’s son completed it on his jump bike to everyone’s amazement - although I wouldn’t really advise this!If you want to learn more about this ride and the many other safe cycle routes supported by C2C then visit http://www.c2c-guide.co.uk/the-route/Want to sign up or discover more? Just email me at shane.odonnell@wakefield.ac.uk and I’ll be happy to help.

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Hannah Flounders – Lecturer in Animal Care

“Hello! I’m Hannah, and I’m the Student Group Leader for Level 1 and lecturer for Level 2 and Level 3 Animal Care, and I’ve been at College just over a year.My typical working day involves teaching students various aspects of animal care including animal

health, feeding, handling and general care. All the modules I teach are practical based so we spend a lot of time in the animal care unit working hands-on with the animals. I have a degree in Animal Management and have worked in various different establishments including bird of prey sanctuaries, dog rescue centres, doggy day care centres, specialist aquatic pet shops, on a small farm and as an animal lecturer and technician caring for domestic and exotic animals including monkeys, meerkats, skunks and genets. Outside work my interests are still animal-related! I like to attend fun dog shows, reptile conventions, aquatic shows and auctions, and to help out with local animal rescue charities as much as I can. I also have a small collection of pets that I enjoy caring for which currently includes rats, beetles, frogs, fish, newts and a dog.The people at Wakefield College are very friendly, staff and students alike. I thoroughly enjoy teaching and sharing my experiences and knowledge of animal care, especially the practical work because I can see that the students thrive on it.”

Laura Nutten – Catering Storekeeper

“My name is Laura and I’ve worked for the College for three years, but have been in Stores for one year. I am a professional chef, having trained in 4 and 5 * hotels. Then I moved to working for an outside catering company, which is seasonal work, while at College I work in

the Stores and am training one day per week to become a chef lecturer.It’s a really varied job! On a daily basis I work with Tracy, the Stores Manager, and Catherine, our other Storekeeper, to accept and check deliveries for all the catering classes. We set up the trolleys with ingredients such as meat and vegetables, check that all the food in the stores is in date and correctly stored, allocate the foods from the classes to the deli shop or freeze it for use at a later date, supervise students on the till in the Refectory and cash up the till. We deal with classroom equipment, ensuring it is PAT tested, cleaned and in good order, and we co-ordinate with Estates/Maintenance if there are any problems. We phone in the daily food orders, and we’re responsible for providing the cleaning technicians with the cleaning chemicals for the classrooms.Outside work, I have a 2 ½ year old son, who keeps me really busy, so it’s great to meet up with the girls for coffee mornings and fun at softplay, the park or swimming.The best thing about College? My colleagues - I work with a great set of people, who are very supportive. I come from South Africa, but one of the students thought I was from Alaska! It turned out she had said to her friend, ‘I’ll ask her,’ which was mistaken for Alaska!”

Lynsey Collinson – Lecturer in Art and Design

“Hi, I’m Lynsey and I’m the student group leader for the BTEC Foundation Diploma in Art and Design course.My relationship with Wakefield College began when I was 16 years old and a student on the AVCE Advanced Art and the Foundation Art and Design course. After

that I did a degree in Surface Pattern Design at Swansea Metropolitan University.I’ve been teaching at Wakefield College for the past seven years with Protocol National, but recently became employed on a full-time basis.I don’t have a ‘typical day’ as my teaching varies across different levels and courses. This makes it exciting and offers new challenges to keep me on my toes. I could be doing anything from teaching life drawing and oil painting with Foundation, to teaching paper manipulation and soft sculpture with Level 2.I’d love to be able to say I spend my free time doing exciting things such as skydiving, but I’m afraid I don’t – especially since I’m afraid of heights! Nails, the gym, shopping and catching up with friends over dinner is more my style.The thing I love about College life is being able to work with such a wide range of students with different personalities, characters, skills and interests. I see them develop and blossom into creative individuals, and I think, “I played a part in that….”

“I was a little unsure about what to do for the Giving Back to the Community Day, but during a chat with a neighbour (and a beer or two), he asked me if it would be possible to use my skills to make a couple of wrought iron garden benches for the local Community Garden. After a visit to the garden and a chat with Stephen Flicker, the project leader, I could see first-hand all the effort and hard work he and his small band of volunteers had put into developing the garden. So I put my hand up straight away and decided to get involved with the project. It was great to get involved in something new and which also helped out a worthy cause within my local community. I made a couple of new friends and have been invited

back into the garden on numerous occasions over the summer break for various festivals and celebrations. It was a positive experience and I would have no hesitation in doing something similar again for local community projects.”Stephen Flicker, the Community Garden Project leader, said, “Gary made the two benches for Eastmoor Community Garden. The workmanship of the benches is exquisite and everyone at the garden is very pleased with them. Gary and three of his colleagues came to the garden to install the benches and also did some pruning and other work. This is all part of a College-wide initiative to make a positive impact within the community.”

The Eastmoor Community Garden ProjectGary Wright tells KIT about his CPD project...

Pen Portraits

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“I’ve always been an animal-lover. As a kid I kept rabbits, and at present I have a horse, two cats, a dog, and five sheep who double as lawn-mowers. My sons followed in my footsteps and always had pets – rabbits, dogs, and other animals. Keeping animals can sometimes lead to unexpected fun and games. We used to live at Newbridge Farm, near East Cowick, which was between the canal and the river. I owned seven horses at that time, and one day only six came to be fed at tea-time. One of them, Asheka, had managed to get into the tidal “Dutch River”, and although I dived in and got her to the bank, she became stuck in the mud and couldn’t get out. It took three fire engines and a vet to extract her from the mud and get her sorted out! The fire crews were great – they even found my slippers – and I sent them a big thank you afterwards with a hoof print on it.

Just over a year ago my oldest son told me about a small animal boarding business which was coming up for sale in Fishlake – he was friendly with the outgoing owners. We decided to take the plunge (not as literally as Asheka did) and bought the place at the end of last year. Fishlake is a pleasant little village in the rural part of Doncaster, an excellent location for Bunny Retreat, which is the name of the business. We offer secure, indoor, heated accommodation for rabbits, guinea pigs, degus, chinchillas, hamsters and gerbils. People worry about what to do with their small pets when they go on holiday, so it’s good to be able to provide them with peace of mind, knowing their furry friends are being well looked after. The business is building up nicely; it’s never going to make me a fortune but the clients are lovely – both human and animal!”

Unusual Hobbies and Peculiar PastimesBob Austwick, Skills for Life Lecturer, talks about the ups and downs of pet ownership and a commercial venture in the heart of rural Doncaster.

Anyone for Pimms and Canapés at Nostell Priory?darren sharpe, Hospitality and Catering lecturer, tells KIT about his students’ experience supporting National Armed Forces Day at Nostell Priory.Wakefield College Hospitality and Catering students supported local heroes during the Armed Forces Day celebrations held at Nostell Priory. After working with local Territorial Units during the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebrations, students were invited to provide Pimms and Canapés for a VIP reception hosted by Lord and Lady St Oswald. Guests included Wakefield’s Mayor and Mayoress, Bishop, Council leaders, the High Sheriff of West Yorkshire, and Ben Parkinson MBE – no pressure there, then!The challenge was to prepare, cook and serve Pimms and Canapés for fifty people with a budget of £500 on the West Lawn of Nostell Priory. Undaunted by the task, students and staff began to plan for the event. Staff visited Nostell Priory to check space and kitchens available. During the visit it became apparent that the West Lawn was more than a thirty second walk from the kitchen as described. After seeing the environment, students and staff began compiling a menu that included: Mini Yorkshire Puddings with Fillet of Beef, Horseradish and Rocket, Roast Fillet of Pork with Melon, Red Onion Chutney on Rye Bread, and White Chocolate Brownie with Raspberries.

On the day, an initial preparation period took place within College before all food, equipment and staff were transferred to Nostell Priory, where fingers were crossed for good weather. Once at the Priory the kitchen team began to prepare and assemble canapés whilst the front of house team set up a gazebo and service area. There was even enough time for a quick tour of some of the military stalls. Throughout the function, students behaved in an impeccable manner, showing true professionalism and dedication. Feedback from guests was excellent and all who attended the function thoroughly enjoyed it. This was a very rewarding and fulfilling event enjoyed by students and staff alike. Mae Hill from the Level 3 Diploma in Professional Cookery said: “It was a fantastic experience - doing things I have never done before - and I would love to do it again next year.”Next year it is hoped that Nostell Priory will once again be the centre of celebrations for Armed Forces Day. Meanwhile, students have been invited back to cater for another VIP function in one of the many historic rooms of the Main Hall.

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Competition

College News

Yeah, but it was for putting them in the cellar!!!”

Getting planning permission for those wind turbines was

fantastic…

The lucky winner of the caption competition from the summer issue of KIT is… ian oldfield, College SecurityIan will receive a pair of tickets to the Theatre Royal Wakefield to see a show of his choice (subject to availability)

Take a look at this photo of Shirley Aston, Head of Construction Skills, participating in some DIY activities at The Trinity Mission Night Shelter and Drop In-Centre. Shirley volunteered to help at The Trinity Mission on the Community Day in July.Add your own caption and the best caption submitted will receive a prize, so get your thinking caps on and send in your captions to KIT@wakefield.ac.uk or fill in the speech bubble and send via the internal post to Alex Hanna in the Marketing Department. The winner will be announced in the winter issue.

December Pay Day As payday in December this year would normally fall on the 27 December 2013, which is a College Closure Day, it has been agreed that it will be brought forward to Friday 20 December 2013.

The Payroll team will aim to send out payslips as soon as possible after payroll has been transmitted in December. It is important that you contact the payroll team as soon as possible if you think something is incorrect to enable any adjustments to be made before the College closes for Christmas.

As payday has been brought forward this means that any payroll changes, travel, overtime and salary claims must be received in the HR Department by Thursday 5 December 2013.

December CPD DayThe next CPD day will take place on Friday 6th December.

2013 Awards CeremonyThe Annual Awards Ceremony celebrates the success of our students. It is a very rewarding and pleasurable event for staff, students and their families and also raises the public profile of education and training provided by Wakefield College. It will be held at the Waterton Building on friday 13th december, commencing at 4.00pm and finishing at 6.30pm. This year’s awards are sponsored by Bardsley Construction.

Next issue…The next issue of KIT will be the winter edition. We value your contributions so please send in your stories, news, and tales of festive fun! January and February can be long, dark, dreary months so let’s brighten them up with some uplifting stories and delicious winter warmer recipes. Email KIT@wakefield.ac.uk with your ideas for content.

Remember, KIT is about you and for you so make the most of it and share your news!

And finally we would like to sign off by wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. See you in 2014!

Love from KiT

merry Christmas!And don’t forget the extended

Christmas break this year!