A LEARNING centre
for school pupils and the local community has opened at Tring School after more
than a year of work to refurbish the site.
To mark the
launch of Tring Learning Centre and to celebrate the school’s new specialist
humanities status, pupils buried a time capsule (picture
right)and helped head teacher Julia Trueman plant a flowering cherry
tree in the school grounds.
It took about a year and £300,000 to convert the
school's old hall into a state of the art learning centre with new computers,
laptops and a library. The centre, which also has a seminar area and a sixth
form study section, was opened in September but not officially launched until
Wednesday, October 12.
Deputy head teacher and director of the new centre,
Mark Robinson said: “This centre gives us a fantastic modern and exciting
learning space. One day that sticks in my mind was when we had 126 sixth
form students in here working on computers. The response in lessons has been
super. It is a place that really buzzes. The students really respect the
environment and appreciate what has gone into making it a professional and
enjoyable space.”
The time capsule was buried with some steel inside, so it
can be found in years to come using a metal detector.
The school has already
held some evening events at the centre, including Indian cooking lessons for
pupils and parents and a talk by polar challenge competitor Tori James.
Tring
Learning Centre project manager Heather Simms revealed the school was in talks
with the Open University about the possibility of running adult classes.
Eventually primary schools will also be given the opportunity to use the
facility.
A celebration evening was held last Wednesday where guests,
including Tring Mayor Mike James and Mayor of Dacorum Jane Hogg, found out more
about what the centre means for the school and the local community.
A session
of Chinese cookery lessons will be held by Dacorum Chinese School at the centre
starting on Sunday, November 6. For more information contact Heather Simms by
calling 01442 821067 or email simmsh032@thegrid.org.uk.
Lorry driver’s grief
at cyclist’s death
A 31-year-old lorry
driver, who knocked down and killed a cyclist on the A41, has pleaded guilty to
careless driving.
Cyclist Callum Macintyre, 55, of Tring Road, Long Marston,
was on his way to work at a factory in Aston Clinton when the accident happened
at about 4.30am on Tuesday, February 1, Aylesbury magistrates heard.
Braun
Houldsworth, from Buckingham, was driving a line-painting lorry along the bypass
at Aston Clinton when he felt something hit his vehicle, the court heard.
He
slowly reversed back up the bypass and because it was dark and raining switched
on the lorry’s work spotlights so that he could see more clearly.
He
discovered Mr Macintyre laying at the side of the road with his bike next to
him.
Two work colleagues also travelling in the lorry called the emergency
services while Houldsworth carried out first-aid. He performed CPR for about 20
minutes until an ambulance arrived.
At Aylesbury Magistrates Court on Friday,
Peter Bird, prosecuting, said: “As a result of the accident Mr Callum Macintyre
received fatal injuries and died either at the scene or later in Stoke
Mandeville Hospital.”
Houldsworth had been working on the M25 that night and
was travelling back to his works depot in Milton Keynes when the accident
happened.
The court heard that he had been a road white line painter for
eight years and had worked nights during all of that time.
Houldsworth’s
defence solicitor, Tanwyn James, said: “Mr Houldsworth can’t
understand what
has happened.
“He says he thinks about what happened all the time, especially
at work.
“He says he doesn’t think he will ever come to terms with what has
happened.
“Mr Houldsworth feels deep and genuine remorse,” she added.
The
magistrates decided to put seven penalty driving points on to Houldsworth’s
driving licence.
They also fined him £500 and ordered him to pay £75
costs.
Invite to hospice’s birthday
party
CELEBRATIONS for the
20th anniversary of the Iain Rennie Hospice at Home continue with two
fund-raising events.
On Friday and Saturday, October 21 and 22, the Music
Hall Company presents a show at Little Gaddesden Village Hall.
Supper is
included in the entertainment and proceeds will be divided between IRHH and the
Hospice of St Francis.
Further information from Betty Mason on 01442
863710.
On Wednesday, October 26, the Lions Club of Berkhamsted is hosting a
big band concert at Berkhamsted Collegiate School. Details on 01442
864411.
TV antique star in
town
ANTIQUES Roadshow
star John Bly will be making a special guest appearance to sign copies of his
latest book at Corbetts Bookshop in Tring on Saturday.
John has worked for
Sotheby’s, made regular television appearances on the Antiques Roadshow
and has his own ITV programme called Heirloom.
He will be at Corbetts
Bookshop in the High Street between noon and 2pm on Saturday, October 22. For
more information call the bookshop on 01442 826286.
Dacorum schools lead way in banning unhealthy
vending machines
Bye-bye junk food but at what
cost?
A Dacorum teacher is
calling for extra funding for canteens when unhealthy vending machines are
scrapped from schools next year.
Many of the borough's schools are one step
ahead of Education Secretary Ruth Kelly, who has announced that from September
next year, vending machines selling chocolates, crisps and fizzy drinks will be
banned and some unhealthy canteen meals will also be struck off the school
menu.
But despite many Dacorum schools already banning junk food from their
canteens and opting for healthier alternatives, one Dacorum teacher is calling
for extra funding to fill the profit gap when the machines are
scrapped.
Andrew Dobberson, assistant headteacher of Tring School, said it
made a massive £20,000 each year from its vending machines with the money going
towards paying for its canteen staff.
“Healthy foods cost more than unhealthy
foods,” he said. “ We can’t afford to lose the almost £20,000 we take from the
vending machines.”
Last year the school was part of a pilot scheme that
introduced a healthy vending machine selling water, fruit juices and milk. It
was one of 12 schools across the country chosen to test out the new vending
machines as part of a government initiative to encourage youngsters to drink
fewer fizzy and sugary drinks.
Since then the school has kept one vending
machine offering juices, sandwiches and fruit, but still has a fizzy drinks
machine and a confectionery machine.
“If we can’t fund the healthy foods
option, then we can’t pay our canteen service. That is what concerns me about
the government initiative. They do need to give more funding designated to
canteens,” said Mr Dobberson.
“It is not as black and white as removing the
vending machines, although I am really pleased the government is doing this, the
kids need to be educated.”
On average the schoolÂ’s confectionery machine
takes £150 per day, the fizzy drinks machine takes £50 each day and the healthy
options machine £50.
Ashlyns School in Chesham Road, Berkhamsted, has no
confectionery vending machine and began phasing out its two fizzy drinks
machines last year.
One was replaced with a water machine and the other with
a ‘vitality bar’ selling Fair Trade juices, teas and soya milkshakes. The school
also has a vending machine offering soups, coffee and tea.
Catering manager
Jackie Wing said: “It is going down pretty well.”
Last month canteen staff
cut down to serving chips just once or twice a week, replacing them with healthy
salads and pasta dishes. Mrs Wing said the canteen changes had been prompted by
the media attention on school meals, kick-started by celebrity chef, Jamie
Oliver’s TV programme Jamie’s School Dinners.
Mrs Wing said: “I think the
childrenÂ’s attitudes are changing.
“The girls are obviously wanting to eat
the right things and a lot of the boys are eating well.”
Hemel Hempstead
School in Heath Lane scrapped its vending machines three years ago. Assistant
headteacher at the school, Norma Darby said: “We got rid of them because of
litter and because we wanted more healthy eating."
Ex-girlfriend
attacked by man
A MAN who smashed up
a flat in Tring and beat his girlfriend after finding out she was with another
man has been ordered to carry out 150 hours unpaid work by magistrates in Hemel
Hempstead.
Matthew Chance, aged 47, of Abercorn Road, Luton, went round to a
flat where his girlfriend was staying in Church Yard, Tring, at around 8pm on
May 18, 2004 before grabbing her by the throat and demanding to know who was
there with her.
Magistrates sitting last Thursday heard that Chance spat in
his girlfriend's face after hearing she had a 'male friend' with her.
He then
forced her to the floor and kicked her while she was down.
Richard Yapp,
prosecuting, said that Chance then began throwing glasses and bottles around the
flat causing more than £400 in damage.
Chance was later arrested and charged
with criminal damage and common assault and after pleading not guilty was due
for a trial on January 27 this year but failed to show up.
He was found
guilty in his absence and was in court last week for sentencing.
Mr Kalirai,
defending, claimed his client had also been 'subjected to violence' during the
incident.
He said Chance was no longer seeing the woman he assaulted and was
sorry for what happened.
“He accepts he was angry that day because he had
found out that his then partner was seeing another man,” Mr Kalirai said.
“He
wishes to convey his sorrow for his behaviour,” he added.
Mr Kalirai said
that Chance was of good character and is currently working as a community worker
in the Marsh Farm area of Luton.
Magistrates heard that despite only being
contracted to do 14 hours a week Chance would regularly work a further 30 hours
a week of unpaid work.
Chairman of the magistrates John Munday sentenced
Chance to community punishment orders totalling 150 hours for the charge of
common assault and for failing to show up for his trial in January.
For the
criminal damage Chance was fined £110, ordered to pay compensation of £250 for
damage caused in the flat and £100 compensation to his former girlfriend.
He
was also told to pay costs of £95.
Appeal after theft
and attack
POLICE are hunting a
thief who made off with a car stereo in Tring last week.
The theft took place
between 9pm on Sunday, October 9 and 7.45am the following morning on Brook
Street.
The thief smashed the side front window of a grey Kia Pride, removed
the stereo and searched the glove box.
Police are also asking for
information after vandals smashed the window of a Tring home.
Offenders threw
missiles at a double glazed window of a house on Silk Mill Way causing it to
shatter, at 6.20pm on Thursday, October13.
If anyone witnessed this attack or
the theft of the car stereo they can contact the Western Area crime desk on
01442 271004 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555
111.
