News

Teenage horror in Dovercourt

Science fiction and horror writer Keith Brooke has published his second blood-curdling children's novel.

Better known on campus as the University's website manager, Keith won critical acclaim last year for his debut children's novel, Piggies, which is set to be made into a film.

His new book, Flesh and Blood, written under the pen name Nick Gifford, is a dark and original tale of a dysfunctional family. It is set in a thinly-disguised version of Dovercourt, where Keith grew up, and lived for a few weeks when he started work at the University back in 1998.

Keith said: 'I had fun with Flesh and Blood. It's the story of a boy coming to terms with his nightmarish relatives and a dark family secret, which perhaps shows what an odd sense of fun I have.'

Keith, who has been writing professionally for more than ten years, was overwhelmed by the response to Piggies. It became a children's best seller and the exclusive film rights were bought up by Little Bird, the production company behind Bridget Jones's Diary.

He said, 'Now I'm just nervously waiting for the reaction to this one. Nothing stands still, though: already I'm putting the finishing touches to next year's novel, and planning the one after that!'

More information about the novel, published by Puffin, and costing £4.99, is available on the Nick Gifford website at www.nickgifford.co.uk - it includes a photographic gallery of the novel's setting and an extract.

Alison's directing debut at East 15

Acclaimed actress Alison Steadman has returned to East 15 Acting School to direct work with third year students.

Alison, who trained at East 15 and was awarded an honorary degree by the University last year, is starting her second stint as a director at the school this month, having returned initially in the summer.

The award-winning actress, who recently starred in the ITV series Fat Friends, enjoyed her directing debut so much that she is now thinking of making a short film and a documentary.

Last summer she worked with East 15 students on rehearsed readings of a one-act play, and admitted she loved it. She told a national newspaper: 'I had always said I would never, ever direct because I never had the confidence in the past to even think I could do things like that; its only now I'm in my late fifties that I've begun to think in those terms.'

Having got the taste for directing, Alison is looking forward to further work with the students this term.

But she has no plans to abandon her versatile acting career, with a new BBC comedy series, The Worst Week of My Life, due to be screened in the spring, and a current offer to do a new play in the West End.

Joining Alison this term at East 15 is award-winning playwright and director Ché Walker, who has had a run of successful plays at the Royal Court, one of which won him the George Devine Award.

With such talents lending their skills to the students, the productions and graduating students get stronger each year.

Director of East 15, John Baraldi, said: 'At the moment East 15 is on a real high. Having recruited both excellent students and excellent staff, the physical facilities to support the work are also improving. We are looking forward to the future with confidence.'

Essex student wins first volunteering award

A second-year Law student is one of the first students in the country to receive a Higher Education Active Community Fund (HEACF) Student Volunteering Award.

The Awards, developed and managed by the Careers Research and Advisory Centre (CRAC), recognise student volunteers who have shown significant commitment to, or achievement in, activities funded or initiated by the HEACF. Over 300 students were nominated for the Awards, with 163 students short-listed, including Essex student Yoshi Ishimoto for his involvement in the No Waste Graduation project.

Claire Richards won the award for the Essex Street Law project which aims to promoting the understanding of individual rights and responsibilities through interactive law sessions for school children.

The project is Claire's brainchild. As the External Relations Officer of the Essex Law Society, Claire found out about an educational law project in America, Street Law, whilst researching into what pro bono work the society could do to share and gain new skills. After obtaining the support of the Department of Law and the Active Community Fund, Claire formulated lesson plans and recruited Law students to take part, organising and running training sessions for them before they started going in to schools.

She, and a team of more than 30 second and third year law students, worked with year 10 and 11 students at the Alec Hunter School in Braintree running law-based workshops and activities, including a mock trail, to fit in with citizenship curriculum, whilst also answering questions about higher education and university life.

The project has been warmly received by the Alec Hunter School as teacher Heather Williams explains: 'Essex Street Law has really benefited the students as their awareness has been raised about the British judicial system and this has counted towards their citizenship education. Claire has also made students aware that they can go to university - this is not out of their reach.'

For more information about the Essex Street Law project or other volunteering opportunities, contact Julie Goreham, Student Community Action Volunteer, telephone 01206 863211 or e-mail jgoreham@essex.ac.uk. 

Claire was presented with her award at a ceremony held at Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium by Blue Peter presenter Stuart Miles
during December

Also in the printed January edition of Wyvern:

• Juniors study science skills
• Praise for Networks Centre site
• Lakes run dry
• Keys to Southend vision