College delighted to show support for apprentices
Awards are free to enter and bring great pride
THERE’S never been a better time to celebrate our apprentices.
That’s the message from the sponsors and organisers of The News Business Excellence Awards, which are set to return for their 20th year.
The awards, which are free to enter, celebrate a wide range of business types and sectors – including seeing one person take away the Apprentice of the Year title.
The category has been sponsored by Portsmouth College, and vice principal Tom Lloyd said they are proud to once again be part of the awards.
Tom Lloyd, vice principal, said: ‘Portsmouth College are delighted to once again be able to sponsor the 'Apprentice of the Year' category.
‘Apprenticeships continue to play an increasingly pivotal role in Portsmouth's local economy and the 'earn whilst you learn' methodology allows people from all walks of life to enhance their knowledge, skills and behaviours whilst in employment.
‘This also means that local employers are able to use the funding available from the government to grow their own workforce and support their apprentices to apply what they are learning in a professional setting.
‘There is often a misconception that apprenticeships are just for young people starting their careers in entry level positions, this couldn't be further from the truth.
‘Apprenticeships are simply training which has been designed, through a set of flexible standards, to allow people to acquire the new knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to progress within their role, no matter the position they hold.’
He said the college has 250 apprentices at a wide range of employers across the city.
He added: ‘These awards are the perfect opportunity to celebrate all apprentices, especially those who have gone above and beyond.’
Pat Smith, from lead sponsor the University of
Portsmouth, said: ‘As an early adopter of the degree apprenticeship scheme, we know that apprenticeships offer individuals the opportunity to learn, earn and provide valuable work experience.
‘We enjoy a close partnership with all colleges in the region, so it is good to have Portsmouth College sponsoring this category.’
For more go to portsmouthbusinessexcellence.co.uk
PEOPLE are being promised an evening of spooky tales and ghostly goings-on as a supernatural event company holds an online gathering.
Supernatural Tours and Events has launched the online event for all thrill seekers and paranormal enthusiasts.
The Portsmouthbased company runs a range of award-winning interactive experiences and is hoping its fans will follow it online during the pandemic after Covid has brought a temporary halt to its popular ghost tours.
It is hosting a Supernatural Takeover from today to Sunday, promising something for everyone featuring a range of paranormal themed talks and demonstrations including mediumship, ghost hunting and much more.
Founders of the company Andrew FrewingHouse and James Kemp both have extensive experience in the paranormal field appearing on both television and radio.
Their success has led to several awards, specifically their most popular Southampton Tour. Alongside this they also run tours in Portsmouth, Windsor, The New Forest and Winchester.
As well as his hobbies DJing and wrestling, Andrew said he has a great passion for his work in the paranormal field.
He has worked in the industry since the age of 12 and has continued to run paranormal investigations across the UK and Australia.
He said his ghost hunting work has led him to see plenty of unexplained experiences over the years.
He said: ‘From a rock being thrown inside a historical house in Old Portsmouth to being pushed by unseen forces in an Abbey in Hampshire, I have seen a lot but oddly it never scares me.'
Andrew and James have become experts in paranormal activity and have turned their fascination of the supernatural and haunted locations into a successful business.
They are hoping to attract people to their weekend of discussion.
The event will cover a wide variety of topics including ghost theories, tarot readings and modern-day witch practices.
Andrew said it would give a virtual taste of the largely popular theatrical and authentic ghost tours the company has been running across the south coast for the last 15 years.
Tickets are £3, to buy go to supernaturaltoursandevents.com/tickets/
FRIENDS of a Bedhampton park are marking the 200th anniversary of a famous Romantic poet’s death.
Bidbury Mead Friends have been raising funds to create an inscribed seating area which commemorates English poet John Keats, who wrote his famous work The Eve of St Agnes while staying at Bedhampton in January 1819.
Keats, inset, returned in
September 1820 when the ship he was travelling on was forced by a storm to dock in Portsmouth to do repairs and take on supplies.
Travelling to Italy in the belief the warmer weather would improve his tuberculosis, Keats’ stay would be his last night on English soil as he died in Rome on February 23, 1821 at the age of 25.
To mark the poet’s connection with the area, the Bidbury Mead Friends are planning to create a tranquil seating space to enhance visitors’ experience.
Ron Tate, project manager of the Friends, said: ‘We have been fundraising with a walking tour and a publication and people have given to the Friends so that we can make a permanent record of Keats having come to stay here.’
The coronavirus outbreak has halted development of the seating project, but it is hoped to resume when it is safe for organisers to meet at the site.
Havant Mens’ Shed has developed a prototype for the seating area, and the finished bench will be positioned in the north east corner of Bidbury Mead, under and between two mature trees located near the entrance.
Councillor Alex Rennie, Havant Borough Council cabinet lead for communities, said: ‘I welcome the work being done by Bidbury Mead Friends to commemorate the life of John Keats and the literary contribution he made to this country.
‘As we remember the 200th anniversary of his death I look forward to supporting efforts to ensure there is a lasting legacy to his work here in Bedhampton.’