Tag Archives: BBC Radio Solent

Anthea Innes talks to BBC Radio Solent about carers

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The Director of the Bournemouth University Dementia Institute Professor Anthea Innes discussed on the Steve Harris show on BBC Radio Solent, the issue of overstretched carers providing 15 minute visits to patients.

Innes suggested 15 minutes would not even provide enough communication and social contact time between carers and patients and by doing so people’s basic care needs are not being taken into account.

Steve Harris highlighted the increasing drive for people to be treated at home. Innes replied saying “most people would rather stay in their own homes for as long as possible which is still a cheaper option than hospital or nursing home treatments.”

Innes implied change is needed by describing the situation as “a square peg in a round hole. There isn’t the supply of carers to give people what they want and need”.

By Peter Blackhall
2nd Year Student at Bournemouth University, BA Public Relations

Liisa Rohumaa on the Ed Miliband Daily Mail controversy

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BU Journalism lecturer Liisa Rohumaa was interviewed on BBC Radio Solent’s Drivetime show about the controversy surrounding the Daily Mail’s article about Labour Leader Ed Miliband’s father ‘hating’ Britain.

Liisa suggested the Daily Mail had gone too far in its labelling of Ed Milliband’s dad as a man who hated Britain.

She said: “Journalists have got a duty to ask difficult questions but the Daily Mail has a reputation for being nasty to certain groups such as immigrants, women and people on the left”.

The interview concluded as Liisa stated the story would feed into the debate over whether there should be press regulation in the UK and whether the Daily Mail can justify printing something that people find distasteful.

The debate on the show was about whether Daily Mail journalists had gone too far by labelling Ed Milliband’s dad as someone who hated Britain in their recent news story.

By Peter Blackhall
2nd Year Student at Bournemouth University, BA Public Relations

Student wardens scheme gains widespread regional media coverage

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The introduction of BU student community wardens to work with residents in Winton gained widespread regional media coverage across TV, radio and print.

BBC South Today came to Winton to film the wardens in action, knocking on doors and speaking with residents and students about potential issues.

An interview with student warden Coralie Wood and Winton Community Forum chairman Pat Oakley was broadcast on the lunchtime bulletin, and a longer report – which featured additional interviews with Winton residents and SUBU VP Comms Annie Hall – was shown in the evening bulletin.

The story was also picked up by the Bournemouth Echo newspaper and in news bulletins on local radio stations BBC Radio Solent and Fire FM.

Adam Twycross and the UK videogame industry on BBC Radio Solent

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As many queued for hours to get their hands on the latest Grand Theft Auto video game, BU’s Adam Twycross – an expert in computer animation and video games – talked on BBC Radio Solent about the computer game industry in the UK.

Grand Theft Auto is just one of the games franchises produced in the UK, and Adam, a Demonstrator and Lecturer in Computer Animation at BU, told presenter Alex Dyke that while the UK video game industry only employed around 7,000 people, it generated more than $5.2 billion last year.

“They really benefit from the fact that you can do it on a much smaller scale with a much smaller team and have just as much impact in terms of economic value and cultural value as if you were working on a movie or television,” he said, adding that video games companies could be found up and down the country.

He told Alex that BU computer animation graduates went on to work in both TV and film and the video game industry, with around a 50/50 split.

“I think one of the reasons that we’ve had a lot of success here in Bournemouth in the video games sector is that it’s an extraordinary industry which meshes together maths and programming and physics with art and animation,” Adam said.

“You’ve got a huge, broad range of skills which go into a single game and that’s what we try to replicate at Bournemouth where we teach our artists not just how to animate and create artistic things but also the programming and maths.

“So we traditionally have produced the individuals that the video game industry likes to have.”

Adam added that he believed the games industry in the UK would only continue to grow and diversify, reaching out to different audiences and demographics.

“It’s almost hard to imagine how big it can get,” he said.

Listen to the full interview

Darren Lilleker on TUC conference to BBC Radio Solent

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Darren Lilleker, a senior lecturer in Politics and Media at BU, spoke to BBC Radio Solent to give his thoughts on Ed Miliband’s speech at the TUC conference.

Speaking to Steve Harris on Solent’s Drivetime show, Darren gave his thoughts on Miliband’s comments, on Labour’s changing relationship with trade unions and what the decision, and indeed Miliband’s speech, will have on the future of the Labour Party.

Darren said of the speech, “It was cautious, it appealed to the unions’ anti-Conservatism.”

The conversation then progressed to look at Labour’s membership, and whether they were leaving themselves financially short by making this step. Darren continued, “What Labour has to do is reach out to a broader swathe of people and not rely on the trade unions as a supplier of membership and think about how it is going to get people to join the Party and, obviously, to donate to the Party. That is the big issue for the Party, losing the money that it relies on for its campaigns. But how do you get people to join political Parties and to engage with them?”

But where should the Party turn, again Darren explained how difficult it can be for Parties to find funding, “The whole party funding issue is very complex. How do you make sure that Parties are not being funded through businesses with vested interest? That is a huge debate that needs to be had!”

Darren was then asked how much damage could be done by Labour in making this decision, “I’m not sure how big an issue it is for the average voter. I don’t think the average man in the street is concerned about the relationships with [Labour and] the trade unions. For most it is an automatic association they make in their heads – Labour has always had a trade union link.”

The changing face of student digs on BBC Radio Solent

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Around 12,000 first year students will be arriving at universities across the South over the next week – with many staying in Halls of Residence.

BBC Radio Solent’s breakfast show looked at how ‘student digs’ had changed and improved over recent years, and reporter Jo Palmer visited BU’s recently refurbished Cranborne House Halls of Residence.

The Halls have undergone an £8.3 million transformation, with all of the flats being completely remodelled, the creation of a common room and outside seating area and even wireless technology to allow students to see if the washing machines are free from the comfort of their own bedroom.

Jo reported live from Cranborne throughout Julian Clegg’s breakfast show and spoke to BU’s Residential Services Manager Richard Search.

“I think the vast majority [of student accommodation] have improved considerably over the last ten or fifteen years,” Richard said.

“I think the time’s gone now when you could get away with the charity shop furniture and the old 1950s-style carpet. I think it’s got to be a little bit more modern, a bit more minimalistic.

“There’s an element of supply and demand here – I think students are demanding more, and if you are a landlord then you need to improve your premises to get them let.”

He added that he didn’t think students were missing out on ‘character building’ by going into more luxurious accommodation.

“Times have changed and I think perhaps modern students have quite a lot of other things they have to worry about without worrying about things like that.”

BU has built six new Halls of Residences from 2005 to 2012 in the Bournemouth and Poole area, and Richard told Julian that students could typically expect their own bathroom.

“Our surveys of students tell us that en-suite is the first thing that they look for in their accommodation.

“So you’ll find that the vast majority, if not all, of new buildings will have en-suite facilities.”

Listen to the feature in full on BBC Radio Solent (available for seven days)

Bournemouth University’s media success with this year’s Clearing campaign

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This year’s Clearing campaign has been a huge success with a number of media appearances.

Bournemouth University was mentioned in the following media outlets:

  • Two Mentions on the Telegraph online
  • Coverage on the Guardian online
  • Five Mentions in the Guardian
  • Coverage in the Independent
  • Two mentions in the i paper
  • Two reports on BBC Radio Solent
  • A report on Wave FM
  • A report on Fire
  • TES coverage

Second year Law student Diana Dimofte explained her clearing experience and coming to Bournemouth University through the clearing system in the Telegraph online video that really showed off Bournemouth University and the local area.

“University Clearing was the best thing that happened to me,” said Diana Dimofte.

Team leader for askBU enquiry service, Helen Elsey, gave advice on what to say on the phone during clearing on the Guardian online website, adding; “We [the clearing team or person taking the clearing phone call] will look at your grades and talk about the subject you enjoyed and the career you have in mind.”

TES  shared multi-media journalism undergraduate, Emily Reason’s clearing experience.

“After almost having a breakdown, I noticed that Bournemouth University were advertising opportunities to get in through clearing. I rang the clearing helpline and was put through to a woman who was very helpful.” Emily added. “I went from crying my eyes out to screaming with joy, all because of clearing.”

Mark Ridolfo, Associate Dean of student experience at Bournemouth University, added comment to an article in The Guardian about balancing time. “Students have to balance work time, study time, social time and time for eating and sleeping; which is difficult.” He added, “Sometimes they [university students] sacrifice the sleeping and eating, and sometimes they sacrifice their studies”.

Matt Usher, student recruitment officer at BU, explained student funding in The Guardian during the clearing period; “The most important thing to say is that there’s lots of support available and students don’t have to pay anything up front”.

“Regardless of how much you’ve borrowed, your repayment is based on your graduate income. You’ll be charged 9% of all income over £21,000 – so if you get a £25k job, you’ll expect to be repaying around £30 a month”

Patricia Obawole, a law student at Bournemouth University and David Stock, manager of Bournemouth University’s Student Union advice service featured in both The Independent and the i Paper, adding comment about the essential skill of budgeting and finance. “We do all get a bit excited when the first loan instalment is in your bank account”, she added.

“For the typical 18-year-old fresher, it’s the largest amount of money they’ve ever had, and they’ve never had to think about setting a budget,” Stock tells the papers. The report claimed that he has encountered the odd student who’s blown several hundred pounds at a casino in their first night and students in £25,000 debt. “Even then there are some things we can do at that stage. It’s never too late to get help”.

Anastasia Stankovsky also featured in The Independent explaining her adjustment experience after adjusting her course to a BA (Hons) in Television Production at Bournemouth University.

“My predicted grades were not good, I really wanted to go to Bournemouth University because it is one of the best in the country for TV production, and was so upset when I found out my grades weren’t going to be good enough”, Stankovsky explained. “Opening the results was a strange feeling, because I had got such good grades, but I was going to a university I really didn’t want to go to. But on my results it actually said I was eligible for adjustment and then I was so excited.”

“I checked my points and called Bournemouth University and said my grades were higher than predicted. They checked my UCAS profile and then I had a ten minute interview on the phone with the TV production department. It was nerve-racking, but it was really much easier for me than for people who had actually had to go and attend interviews. It was all over surprisingly quickly. I thought I was going to be living at home and going to Middlesex University, but within a few days of getting my results I was on my dream course and getting ready to move to Bournemouth”.

Many thanks to everyone who featured in the papers and on the radio during clearing week.

By Dean Eastmond

Dean is a student at Budmouth College in Weymouth, who is working at Bournemouth University in the Press and PR Department. He joined BU on a Sir Samuel Mico Scholarship, which provides 10 students from his college with essential work experience for four weeks over the summer.

BU’s Ken Brown speaks on changing age of jurors

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Bournemouth University’s Lecturer in Law, Ken Brown, featured on BBC Radio Solent, talking about the UK government’s decision to increase the age that jurors can be called up from 70 to 75.

Ken gave his opinion on two occasions to BBC Radio Solent, saying, “When someone reaches 70 when and does not feel able to sit in a jury it would be possible for that person to opt out if someone does not feel as if they can do their job as a juror to the professional standard”

However would the age rise really be a good idea? Brown explained that older people have lots of experience in the profession and rich experience in what life is all about and that should be utilised.

He expresses how older people can still contribute to society, with Brown being 81 and still lecturing law at BU.

“The present eighty is the previous sixty and people at the age of sixty are still think of themselves in the forty bracket nowadays”, Brown added. “I don’t feel 81 years of age, I have wonderful students and they give an awful lot to me, they’re young, they’re vibrant and they have a future.”

Dean Eastmond

Dean is a student at Budmouth College in Weymouth, who is working at Bournemouth University in the Press and PR Department. He joined BU on a Sir Samuel Mico Scholarship, which provides 10 students from his college with essential work experience for four weeks over the summer.

Professor Edwin van Teijlingen talks patient safety on BBC Radio Solent

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By Dean Eastmond

Bournemouth University’s Professor Edwin van Teijlingen featured on BBC Radio Solent, explaining his views on a new report looking at the NHS and patient safety.

The major report by Professor Don Berwick into the NHS suggested the introduction of a lawful offence if a nurse, doctor or medical worker is found to willfully neglect a patient.

Professor van Teijlingen, who researches public health, was interviewed on the BBC Radio Solent Drivetime show about the report.

“Lots of the mistakes the NHS makes that have been in the news in the past ten years or so are mistakes of the system not an individual,” he told presenter Steve Harris.

“They are not bad nurses or doctors or healthcare professionals doing things wrong. They are problems in the system.”

He continued: “I would agree that we need a minimum of nurses on a particular kind of ward for the staff to be available for proper care,”

But he added that, just as important as the number of staff were the jobs that they were having to fulfil, saying: “more and more of the staff time is spent on filling in forms and bureaucracy.”

Dean is a student at Budmouth College in Weymouth, who is working at Bournemouth University in the Press and PR Department. He joined BU on a Sir Samuel Mico Scholarship, which provides 10 students from his college with essential work experience for four weeks over the summer.

Midwifery lecturer Dr Catherine Angell on BBC Radio Solent

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By Dean Eastmond

Senior Lecturer in Midwifery at BU, Dr Catherine Angell, featured on BBC Radio Solent talking to presenter Katie Martin about midwifery and how a woman’s life changes in a variety of ways after having a baby.

Dr Angell explained what physically happens to a woman’s body during pregnancy – including ligaments softening and certain hormones being produced to help the pregnancy – before going on to talk about a woman’s life in the first few weeks of being a mother.

“It’s very much an emotional rollercoaster,” she said.

She continued by explaining what “the new normal” was in terms of childbirth for a busy woman’s life.

Dr Angell told BBC Radio Solent that it’s nice to see when family and friends help out new mothers in terms of practical jobs such as “taking out the washing, cooking meals and taking the children to school”

“I think we’ve moved a long way in terms of actually now regarding birth as a normal event so for most women it will be completely normal, but that doesn’t mean to say that it is an everyday event, and I think we sometimes we muddle the two things up”, Dr Catherine Angell explained.

“So actually we want women to think about it as a normal thing in their life but actually it’s exceptional, it’s a profound thing to happen to them, so you need to kind of sit back and wait for the physical and emotional changes to settle in.”

The interview also mentioned the “royal baby hype” and what life will be like for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for the first few weeks of baby George’s life.

Dr Angell said: “It’s still a really big emotional change for whoever you are and it comes with that sense of responsibility and that can be scary for many first time parents.”

Dean is a student at Budmouth College in Weymouth, who is working at Bournemouth University in the Press and PR Department. He joined BU on a Sir Samuel Mico Scholarship, which provides 10 students from his college with essential work experience for four weeks over the summer.