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18 Nottingham Post Thursday December 8, 2011 Visit our website www.thisisnottingham.co.uk NEP-E01-S2 EP01 NEP-E01-S2 EP01 Visit our website www.thisisnottingham.co.uk Thursday December 8, 2011 Nottingham Post 19 Bygones Diary tells story of the miner who became a general NOTTS miner John Lowe was 52 years of age in March 1984. Riddled with health issues caused by almost 40 years un- derground, he was off sick from work when the National Coal Board’s pit closure pro- gramme was announced and the miners’ strike erupted. With the initial pickets by members of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) from outside the county having tailed off in his absence, he attended the April monthly branch meeting at Clipstone feeling that something needed to be done. “Twelve Derbyshire lads were outside lobbying,” he wrote on that day. “At one point I stood and asked just how much we were prepared to take, or if we were going to stand up and fight the closure programme. “My final words were, ‘If there are any men left here with red blood in their veins, they’ll follow me outside now and stand beside those Derby- shire lads’. The invitation was accepted by 50 men almost im- mediately.” The dispute was particularly vicious in Notts and parts of the Midlands. With the major- ity remaining at work, the strikers were treated as lepers, whereas other NUM areas, such as Yorkshire and Durham, were solid in their support for strike action. Notts’ reputation as a “scab county”, fashioned when George Spence formed a break- away mining union following the General Strike of 1926, had returned to haunt it – as John alluded to in his diary notes. “[Tonight saw] the most dis- graceful reaction that I have ever seen: when ‘Spencerism’ was mentioned as a danger, the result from the other side was one of cheers and shouts. “When the break-up of the union was brought up, this was openly encouraged again, to cheers. I felt physically sick.” John had been elected chair- man of a “rank and file” Clip- stone strike committee and was privy to the organisation of the strike in the Notts area as well as at pit level. Neither could be described as straight- forward. The events of 1984-85 politi- cised him. He was appalled by the treatment of his union and the portrayal of the miners in the media, while feeling it was his duty to fight for the jobs of “If I was to be asked whether people could turn into giants, politically and industrially, as a result of a battle with the management and the Govern- ment and the police, I would put him in the top ten of those people.” The aggressive policing of the picket line saw many strikers arrested at Clipstone, John among them. “I stood my ground because of my intention to check the line, a regular practice I have followed right through the dis- pute,” John Lowe wrote in his diary. “A local constable amongst them was saying, ‘Mr Lowe, go back please’. “I asked repeatedly what I was doing wrong and, if I was causing an obstruction, to tell me how and where. My ques- tions were ignored while the officers continued to jostle me. “I sat on the grass, telling them I was refusing to move; two grabbed me, one on each side, by the arms and pulled me to my feet. “I pulled back and one of them must have lost his footing because the one to the left of me fell, pulling me down with him which in turn pulled the one on the right down on top of me. “What followed then is something of a nightmare: I was conscious of at least three other officers on the floor hold- ing me down; one said ‘put the handcuffs on him’ and I re- ceived a clip to the right side of my jaw followed by a forearm brought viciously down across my throat.” Ultimately charged with ob- struction and assault, John’s faith in law and order was des- troyed forever. Despite the myriad diffi- culties, there were moments of hope. Support for the Clipstone strikers arrived from unexpec- ted sources around the country and beyond: money and goods were sent while children were hosted on holidays. Within the intense fires of hardship, friendships were forged. Such contacts meant that Christmas 1984 was an uplift- ing time for their families when it could so easily have broken their will. “Time for the kids’ party fi- nally came around and right from the start the place was bursting at the seams: not only the kids around 90 but mums, dads, grandparents and even the ones with no kids. “Not for one moment did the tempo and enthusiasm slacken and I, for one, was completely knackered by the end. Maggie, you should have been there to see just how beaten we are!” But in the spring, the fight went away from the NUM. There was a crushing drift Journalist Jonathan Symcox talks about his new book which remembers with deep pride his grandfather John Lowe and the stand he took during the 1984 Miners’ Strike Standing together: Clipstone NUM members with John Lowe, front left Bitter dispute: Pickets at Clipstone Colliery in 1984 rally support for their cause. On this day in 1985 THE Republic of Ireland was stepping up its bid to land Bri- an Clough as manager of the national side. President Des Casey was to send a letter to Forest chair- man Maurice Roworth, offi- cially asking permission to open negotiations. Casey’s only previous contact with the Forest chairman had been on an informal basis. Clough remained the Repub- lic’s top choice to replace Eoin Hand, who had resigned the previous month after Ireland failed to land a spot in the 1986 World Cup. The Forest boss had made encouraging comments about the opportunity to discuss the position with Casey, who was in London with Irish FA ex- ecutive member Dr Tony O’Neill. But the chances of Ireland actually landing Cloughie were seen as slim. A Nottingham firm was beg- ging British Telecom to take away a new telephone system and bring back its old one. Dunkirk Metals had bought the new five-line Pentara 100 Merlin system for £3,000. Since its late-November installation, company bosses said, they had been isolated. “Not a day has gone by without the phones breaking down – we’ve had 15 different BT technicians in trying to fix it, without success,” said dir- ector Andrew Spalding. The scrap metal company had a Queen’s Award for In- dustry and an annual turnover of £12m – but a fat lot of good that did it if the phones didn’t work. The firm had hoped the new phones would improve effi- ciency. “But it’s costing us a for- tune,” Mr Spalding said. “It was a bit of a joke at first but enough is enough. We’ve asked them several times and we want it taken away and our old system brought back. “The problem is not the new technology. The problem is that they don’t seem to know how it works. “On some days there have been up to three engineers try- ing to put it right. “They put in new circuits and it works for a while – then cuts out.” Seating used by yobs is removed SEATING which has attracted antisocial behaviour on a Ripley walkway has been re- moved by the council. The seating formed part of a sculptured archway installed in 2004 on part of the Ripley Greenway. The project saw a landscaped walkway on a former railway line near to Park Street and Albion Street transformed into a trail for cyclists and walk- ers. Since it was installed, the sculpture – made from a fab- ricated concrete and recycled glass – has become the focus for complaints from residents who live nearby about noise, an- tisocial behaviour and vandal- ism. The council also said the area has also become a magnet for underage drinking and bon- fires – particularly in the last 12 months. As a result of the number of complaints, Amber Valley Bor- ough Council has decided to remove the seating part of the structure to deter people from congregating there. Councillor Liz Bowley, cab- inet member for green and thriving places to live, said: “The Greenway is a wonderful asset and is there for everyone to use with respect. If people can’t respect public property then that’s a shame but we have to take action to protect the neighbours’ quality of life.” Help to survey features of river ARCHAEOLOGISTS are to carry out an audit on part of the banks of the River Trent. People can join Nottingham- shire Community Archaeolo- gists on the survey of the river between Laneham, Dunham, Trent Port and Littleborough, on Thursday, December 15. The audit day includes a walk along the riverbank, not- ing down archaeological fea- tures and taking pictures and GPS locations. People should meet at Lane- ham Church, in Church Lane- ham, opposite the Ferry Boat Inn, at 10am. The afternoon session will start at Marton Church at 2pm. People should bring suitable footwear and clothing. To book a place call Emily Gillott on 0115 9772160 or 07917212554. Pupils planting for the future SCHOOLCHILDREN hope their hard work planting bulbs in their community will pay off come spring. Youngsters from Brinsley Primary School planted wild- flower bulbs and trees at Brins- ley Headstocks nature reserve on November 25 as part of Na- tional Tree Week. The Year 2 pupils planted native hazel trees and snow- drop and bluebell wildflower bulbs to make the park more attractive and attract wildlife to the area. The event was led by the Greenwood Community Forest Team on behalf of Broxtowe Borough Council. Gill Grievson, community li- aison officer, said: “It is im- portant to involve local chil- dren to plant trees and bulbs in their community. Hopefully they will come back to see wild- flowers next spring and in fu- ture years.” back to work which left John and his colleagues hanging on at the start of March. “This report is the hardest I’ve ever had to try and write. I feel so full of emotion – anger, frustration, shame, bewilder- ment. I’m finding great diffi- culty in putting my thoughts together. “Mid-afternoon the news came through that the [NUM delegates’] conference had de- cided narrowly, 98 to 91, that the strike was at an end. Al- though expected, it came as a body blow, well below the belt. My wife cried tears for me that I couldn’t cry for myself; they’ll probably come later. “I feel so proud of her for the support she’s given in spite of all the difficulties and heartaches she’s suffered. When the history of this dis- pute is written, the Elsie Lowes of this world will surely stand out above everything: Thatch- er pales into insignificance and will never bear mention in the same breath.” John Lowe died in 2005, and his funeral was marked by nu- merous NUM banners and ref- erences. As speeches re- membered him, his fellow strikers unashamedly inter- rupted with cries of “General John” the moniker they gave to this unlikely hero. For that is how he is re- membered by his colleagues, despite the loss of their in- dustry. “John Lowe was a big man in Nottinghamshire,” Mansfield MP Alan Meale announced at the launch of John’s published diaries. “He came right from nowhere to become a leader of men. He was decent, honour- able, a trade unionist first and foremost and a community per- son. If we follow the principles this man had, there is hope for us all.” If Spirit Alone Won Battles: The 1984-85 Miners’ Strike in Nottinghamshire is published by Pen and Sword (£12.99). ‘General John’: Clipstone miner John Lowe. CLIPSTONE’S COAL COAL was first mined at Clipstone Colliery in the early 1920s – after the Great War had delayed the sinking of its shafts – and the model village of New Clipstone sprung up around it on the old Army camp. Initially sunk to a depth of 640 yards to exploit the Barnsley tophard seam, in the 1950s the shafts were deepened to 920m to exploit other seams. This saw the old steam winders scrapped in favour of Koepe friction winders, which required the iconic 65m headstocks still standing today, the tallest metal headstocks in Europe. The National Coal Board, which took over management of the pit from the Bolsover Colliery Company in 1947, closed it in 1993 and it was reopened the following year by RJB Mining. The headstocks and winding house have been protected with Grade II-listed status since the colliery’s definitive closure in 2003. Several attempts have been made to demolish them. Under arrest: Officers hold down John Lowe as he is arrested. My wife cried tears for me that I couldn’t cry for myself; they’ll probably come later John Lowe future generations. Dennis Skinner MP, the famed “Beast of Bolsover”, provides the foreword to a new book of John’s experiences – If Spirit Alone Won Battles: The 1984-85 Miners’ Strike in Not- tinghamshire. He recalls knowing John as a young man in Clay Cross be- fore encountering him again as an activist during the strike. “Early in the dispute I did a big meeting at Worksop set up principally to galvanise the local NUM forces in Notting- hamshire,” writes Mr Skin- ner. “And there was John Lowe – and he wasn’t just a member of the crowd! He was asking ques- tions, making speeches… I had to say to someone, ‘is that the same fella?’ And the reply was yes! It was a revelation to me. Students hit heights as they prepare for world of work A COLLEGE principal has praised her students for their success in vocational qualific- ations. Vision West Notts achieved a 95 per cent achievement rate for vocational qualifications studied last academic year – up two per cent on the year be- fore. The college had 6,611 stu- dents who achieve a range of BTEC, NVQ and professional Chance to see award-winning girls’ choir TICKETS to see Mansfield girls’ choir Cantamus perform this Christmas are still avail- able. The choir is due to perform at the Palace Theatre, Mans- field, at 7.30pm on Sunday, December 18, and tickets are on sale for £15. The concert will be a special occasion for the choir because former members who left in the summer will be presented with silver goblets to thank them for their work. There are also seats available to see the choir perform on Friday, December 23, at Not- tingham’s Royal Concert Hall at 7.30pm, with prices ranging from £12 to £20. Saxophonist Alistair Parnell will perform with the choir on the night. The Cantamus concert on December 17 at Southwell Min- ster is already sold out. Tickets for the Nottingham and Mansfield concerts are available from Sheila Haslam on 01623 627764 or at sheila- [email protected]. Tickets for the Royal Centre event can also be bought by calling 0115 989 5555. The choir was set up in 1968 and has won many competi- tions, including the World Choir Games. qualifications in areas such as performing arts, childcare, hairdressing, health and social care, fashion and textiles, con- struction and sport science. Courses ranged from entry-level to university-level, with more than half of the 461 programmes run by the college gaining 100 per cent success rates. Principal and chief executive Asha Khemka said: “The col- lege has enjoyed great success in recent months, first with our best-ever achievement rates for A-levels and GCSEs and now our vocational students have demonstrated equally high standards. “Vocational learning equips people of all ages with the prac- tical skills for the world of work combined with essential the- ory that underpins their know- ledge of the subject.” Delight: Principal Asha Khemka has seen vocational students match successes in A-levels and GCSEs. Health walk at nature reserve PEOPLE are being invited to take part in a health walk at Attenborough Nature Reserve. The walk, on Monday, December 19 from 10am, will last for about an hour. Anyone who wants to take part in the free event should meet at the nature centre. For more information, con- tact the Attenborough Nature Centre on 0115 972 1777.
Transcript
Page 1: Nottingham Post miners' strike spread

18 Nottingham Post Thursday December 8, 2011 Visit our website www.thisisnottingham.co.uk NEP-E01-S2 EP01 NEP-E01-S2 EP01 Visit our website www.thisisnottingham.co.uk Thursday December 8, 2011 Nottingham Post 19

Bygones

Diary tellsstory of theminer whobecame ageneral

NOTTS miner John Lowe was52 years of age in March 1984.Riddled with health issuescaused by almost 40 years un-derground, he was off sickfrom work when the NationalCoal Board’s pit closure pro-gramme was announced andthe miners’ strike erupted.

With the initial pickets bymembers of the National Unionof Mineworkers (NUM) fromoutside the county havingtailed off in his absence, heattended the April monthlybranch meeting at Clipstonefeeling that something neededto be done.

“Twelve Derbyshire ladswere outside lobbying,” hewrote on that day.

“At one point I stood andasked just how much we wereprepared to take, or if we weregoing to stand up and fight theclosure programme.

“My final words were, ‘Ifthere are any men left herewith red blood in their veins,they’ll follow me outside nowand stand beside those Derby-shire lads’. The invitation wasaccepted by 50 men almost im-m e d i at e ly. ”

The dispute was particularlyvicious in Notts and parts ofthe Midlands. With the major-ity remaining at work, thestrikers were treated as lepers,whereas other NUM areas,such as Yorkshire andDurham, were solid in theirsupport for strike action.

Notts’ reputation as a “s c abcounty”, fashioned whenGeorge Spence formed a break-away mining union followingthe General Strike of 1926, hadreturned to haunt it – as Johnalluded to in his diary notes.

“[Tonight saw] the most dis-graceful reaction that I haveever seen: when ‘Spencerism’was mentioned as a danger, theresult from the other side was

one of cheers and shouts.“When the break-up of the

union was brought up, this wasopenly encouraged again, tocheers. I felt physically sick.”

John had been elected chair-man of a “rank and file” Clip-stone strike committee andwas privy to the organisationof the strike in the Notts area aswell as at pit level. Neithercould be described as straight-fo r w a rd .

The events of 1984-85 politi-cised him. He was appalled bythe treatment of his union andthe portrayal of the miners inthe media, while feeling it washis duty to fight for the jobs of

“If I was to be asked whetherpeople could turn into giants,politically and industrially, asa result of a battle with themanagement and the Govern-ment and the police, I wouldput him in the top ten of thosep e o p l e. ”

The aggressive policing ofthe picket line saw manystrikers arrested at Clipstone,John among them.

“I stood my ground becauseof my intention to check theline, a regular practice I havefollowed right through the dis-p u t e, ” John Lowe wrote in hisd i a r y.

“A local constable amongstthem was saying, ‘Mr Lowe, go

back please’.“I asked repeatedly what I

was doing wrong and, if I wascausing an obstruction, to tellme how and where. My ques-tions were ignored while theofficers continued to jostlem e.

“I sat on the grass, tellingthem I was refusing to move;two grabbed me, one on eachside, by the arms and pulled meto my feet.

“I pulled back and one ofthem must have lost his footingbecause the one to the left of mefell, pulling me down with himwhich in turn pulled the one onthe right down on top of me.

“What followed then is

something of a nightmare: Iwas conscious of at least threeother officers on the floor hold-ing me down; one said ‘put thehandcuffs on him’ and I re-ceived a clip to the right side ofmy jaw followed by a forearmbrought viciously down acrossmy throat.”

Ultimately charged with ob-struction and assault, John’sfaith in law and order was des-troyed forever.

Despite the myriad diffi-culties, there were moments ofh o p e.

Support for the Clipstonestrikers arrived from unexpec-ted sources around the countryand beyond: money and goods

were sent while children werehosted on holidays. Within theintense fires of hardship,friendships were forged.

Such contacts meant thatChristmas 1984 was an uplift-ing time for their familieswhen it could so easily havebroken their will.

“Time for the kids’ party fi-nally came around and rightfrom the start the place wasbursting at the seams: not onlythe kids – around 90 – bu tmums, dads, grandparents andeven the ones with no kids.

“Not for one moment did thetempo and enthusiasm slackenand I, for one, was completelyknackered by the end. Maggie,you should have been there tosee just how beaten we are!”

But in the spring, the fightwent away from the NUM.There was a crushing drift

Journalist Jonathan Symcox talks about hisnew book which remembers with deep pride hisgrandfather John Lowe and the stand he tookduring the 1984 Miners’ Strike

Standing together:Clipstone NUM members withJohn Lowe, front left

Bitter dispute: Pickets at Clipstone Colliery in 1984 rally support for their cause.

On this day in

1985THE Republic of Ireland wasstepping up its bid to land Bri-an Clough as manager of thenational side.

President Des Casey was tosend a letter to Forest chair-man Maurice Roworth, offi-cially asking permission toopen negotiations. Casey’sonly previous contact with theForest chairman had been onan informal basis.

Clough remained the Repub-lic’s top choice to replace EoinHand, who had resigned theprevious month after Irelandfailed to land a spot in the 1986World Cup.

The Forest boss had madeencouraging comments aboutthe opportunity to discuss theposition with Casey, who wasin London with Irish FA ex-ecutive member Dr TonyO’Neill.

But the chances of Ireland

actually landing Cloughie wereseen as slim.

■ A Nottingham firm was beg-ging British Telecom to takeaway a new telephone systemand bring back its old one.

Dunkirk Metals had boughtthe new five-line Pentara 100Merlin system for £3,000. Sinceits late-November installation,company bosses said, they hadbeen isolated.

“Not a day has gone bywithout the phones breakingdown – we ’ve had 15 differentBT technicians in trying to fixit, without success,” said dir-ector Andrew Spalding.

The scrap metal companyhad a Queen’s Award for In-dustry and an annual turnoverof £12m – but a fat lot of goodthat did it if the phones didn’two rk .

The firm had hoped the newphones would improve effi-c i e n cy.

“But it’s costing us a for-t u n e, ” Mr Spalding said.

“It was a bit of a joke at firstbut enough is enough. We’veasked them several times andwe want it taken away and ourold system brought back.

“The problem is not the newtechnology. The problem is thatthey don’t seem to know how itwo rk s.

“On some days there havebeen up to three engineers try-ing to put it right.

“They put in new circuitsand it works for a while – thencuts out.”

Seating used byyobs is removedSEATING which has attractedantisocial behaviour on aRipley walkway has been re-moved by the council.

The seating formed part of asculptured archway installedin 2004 on part of the RipleyG re e n w ay.

The project saw a landscapedwalkway on a former railwayline near to Park Street andAlbion Street transformed intoa trail for cyclists and walk-e r s.

Since it was installed, thesculpture – made from a fab-ricated concrete and recycledglass – has become the focus forcomplaints from residents wholive nearby about noise, an-tisocial behaviour and vandal-ism.

The council also said thearea has also become a magnetfor underage drinking and bon-fires – particularly in the last12 months.

As a result of the number ofcomplaints, Amber Valley Bor-ough Council has decided toremove the seating part of thestructure to deter people fromcongregating there.

Councillor Liz Bowley, cab-inet member for green andthriving places to live, said:“The Greenway is a wonderfulasset and is there for everyoneto use with respect. If peoplec a n’t respect public propertythen that’s a shame but we haveto take action to protect theneighbours’ quality of life.”

Help to surveyfeatures of riverARCHAEOLOGISTS are tocarry out an audit on part ofthe banks of the River Trent.

People can join Nottingham-shire Community Archaeolo-gists on the survey of the riverbetween Laneham, Dunham,Trent Port and Littleborough,on Thursday, December 15.

The audit day includes awalk along the riverbank, not-ing down archaeological fea-tures and taking pictures andGPS locations.

People should meet at Lane-ham Church, in Church Lane-ham, opposite the Ferry BoatInn, at 10am. The afternoonsession will start at MartonChurch at 2pm.

People should bring suitablefootwear and clothing.

To book a place call EmilyGillott on 0115 9772160 or07917212554.

Pupils plantingfor the futureSCHOOLCHILDREN hopetheir hard work planting bulbsin their community will pay offcome spring.

Youngsters from BrinsleyPrimary School planted wild-flower bulbs and trees at Brins-ley Headstocks nature reserveon November 25 as part of Na-tional Tree Week.

The Year 2 pupils plantednative hazel trees and snow-drop and bluebell wildflowerbulbs to make the park moreattractive and attract wildlifeto the area.

The event was led by theGreenwood Community ForestTeam on behalf of BroxtoweBorough Council.

Gill Grievson, community li-aison officer, said: “It is im-portant to involve local chil-dren to plant trees and bulbs intheir community. Hopefullythey will come back to see wild-flowers next spring and in fu-ture years.”

back to work which left Johnand his colleagues hanging onat the start of March.

“This report is the hardestI’ve ever had to try and write. Ifeel so full of emotion – ang er,frustration, shame, bewilder-ment. I’m finding great diffi-culty in putting my thoughtsto gether.

“Mid-afternoon the newscame through that the [NUMdele gates’] conference had de-cided narrowly, 98 to 91, thatthe strike was at an end. Al-though expected, it came as abody blow, well below the belt.My wife cried tears for me thatI couldn’t cry for myself; they’llprobably come later.

“I feel so proud of her for thesupport she’s given in spite ofall the difficulties andheartaches she’s suffered.When the history of this dis-

pute is written, the Elsie Lowesof this world will surely standout above everything: Thatch-er pales into insignificance andwill never bear mention in thesame breath.”

John Lowe died in 2005, andhis funeral was marked by nu-merous NUM banners and ref-erences. As speeches re-membered him, his fellowstrikers unashamedly inter-rupted with cries of “GeneralJo h n ” – the moniker they gaveto this unlikely hero.

For that is how he is re-membered by his colleagues,despite the loss of their in-d u s t r y.

“John Lowe was a big man inN o t t i n g h a m s h i re, ” MansfieldMP Alan Meale announced atthe launch of John’s publishedd i a r i e s.

“He came right fromnowhere to become a leader ofmen. He was decent, honour-able, a trade unionist first andforemost and a community per-son. If we follow the principlesthis man had, there is hope forus all.”■ If Spirit Alone Won Battles:The 1984-85 Miners’ Strike inNottinghamshire is publishedby Pen and Sword (£12.99).

‘General John’: Clipstone miner John Lowe.

CLIPSTONE’S COAL

COAL was first mined atClipstone Colliery in theearly 1920s – after theGreat War had delayed thesinking of its shafts – andthe model village of NewClipstone sprung uparound it on the old Armycamp.Initially sunk to a depth of640 yards to exploit theBarnsley tophard seam, inthe 1950s the shafts weredeepened to 920m toexploit other seams. Thissaw the old steam windersscrapped in favour ofKoepe friction winders,which required the iconic65m headstocks stillstanding today, the tallestmetal headstocks inEurope.The National Coal Board,which took overmanagement of the pitfrom the Bolsover CollieryCompany in 1947, closed itin 1993 and it wasreopened the followingyear by RJB Mining.The headstocks andwinding house have beenprotected with GradeII-listed status since thecolliery’s definitive closurein 2003. Several attemptshave been made todemolish them.

Under arrest: Officers hold down John Lowe as he is arrested.

My wife cried tears forme that I couldn’t cryfor myself; they’llprobably come later

John Lowe

future generations.Dennis Skinner MP, the

famed “Beast of Bolsover”,provides the foreword to a newbook of John’s experiences – IfSpirit Alone Won Battles: The1984-85 Miners’ Strike in Not-t i n g h a m s h i re.

He recalls knowing John as ayoung man in Clay Cross be-fore encountering him again asan activist during the strike.

“Early in the dispute I did abig meeting at Worksop set upprincipally to galvanise thelocal NUM forces in Notting-h a m s h i re, ” writes Mr Skin-n e r.

“And there was John Lowe –and he wasn’t just a member ofthe crowd! He was asking ques-tions, making speeches… I hadto say to someone, ‘is that thesame fella?’ And the reply wasyes! It was a revelation to me.

Students hit heights as they prepare for world of workA COLLEGE principal haspraised her students for theirsuccess in vocational qualific-at i o n s.

Vision West Notts achieved a95 per cent achievement ratefor vocational qualificationsstudied last academic year – uptwo per cent on the year be-fo re.

The college had 6,611 stu-dents who achieve a range ofBTEC, NVQ and professional

Chance to see award-winning girls’ choirTICKETS to see Mansfieldg i rl s ’ choir Cantamus performthis Christmas are still avail-abl e.

The choir is due to performat the Palace Theatre, Mans-field, at 7.30pm on Sunday,December 18, and tickets are onsale for £15.

The concert will be a specialoccasion for the choir becauseformer members who left inthe summer will be presented

with silver goblets to thankthem for their work.

There are also seats availableto see the choir perform onFriday, December 23, at Not-tingham’s Royal Concert Hallat 7.30pm, with prices rangingfrom £12 to £20.

Saxophonist Alistair Parnellwill perform with the choir onthe night.

The Cantamus concert onDecember 17 at Southwell Min-

ster is already sold out.Tickets for the Nottingham

and Mansfield concerts areavailable from Sheila Haslamon 01623 627764 or at sheila-h a s l a m @ n t lwo rl d . c o m .

Tickets for the Royal Centreevent can also be bought bycalling 0115 989 5555.

The choir was set up in 1968and has won many competi-tions, including the WorldChoir Games.

qualifications in areas such asperforming arts, childcare,hairdressing, health and socialcare, fashion and textiles, con-struction and sport science.

Courses ranged fromentry-level to university-level,with more than half of the 461programmes run by the collegegaining 100 per cent successr at e s.

Principal and chief executiveAsha Khemka said: “The col-

lege has enjoyed great successin recent months, first with ourbest-ever achievement rates forA-levels and GCSEs and nowour vocational students havedemonstrated equally highs t a n d a rd s.

“Vocational learning equipspeople of all ages with the prac-tical skills for the world of workcombined with essential the-ory that underpins their know-ledge of the subject.”

Delight:PrincipalAshaKhemkahas seenvocationalstudentsmatchsuccessesinA-levelsandGCSEs.

Health walk atnature reservePEOPLE are being invited totake part in a health walk atAttenborough Nature Reserve.

The walk, on Monday,December 19 from 10am, willlast for about an hour.

Anyone who wants to takepart in the free event shouldmeet at the nature centre.

For more information, con-tact the Attenborough NatureCentre on 0115 972 1777.

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