University sports lecturer enjoys trip to Russia (From Worcester News)

University sports lecturer enjoys trip to Russia

11:26am Wednesday 29th April 2009 in

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A CHARITY auction, music and dancing at a Worcester school is to raise funds for bereaved children.

The annual St Mary’s Crystal Ball will be held on Saturday and about 120 parents and pupils will enjoy an evening of dancing, a gourmet meal and auction.

Money raised at the event being held at the St Mary’s Convent School in Mount Battenhall will be donated to the Noah’s Ark Trust, which helps bereaved children and their families in Worcestershire and Herefordshire.

Auctioneer Charles Robinson of Griffiths & Charles estate agents and auction house will be giving his time for the event.

He said: “I was delighted to be asked by St Mary’s PTA to help raise money for Noah’s Ark, which is such a fantastic charity.

“There are some superb lots including a Mercedes SLK 200 for a weekend and a day at Malvern Spa with lunch included.

“I look forward to contributing towards a lively, enjoyable occasion.”

Tickets cost £37.50 and are available from Ellen Halpin- Barnett on 01905 617170 or the school office. For more information on Griffiths & Charles Estate Agents and auctioneers, visit their website griffiths-charles.co.uk or call 01905 726464.

Auction will help raise funds A GROUP of trainee teachers from Europe have been experiencing life in a British classroom.

Nine student teachers from Spain and Belgium spent four weeks on placement at Worcester schools learning new teaching methods and systems.

The visit was part of an exchange programme run through the University of Worcester, which will involve a group of Worcester students visiting schools in Spain and Belgium.

The scheme is part of the Training and Development Agency for Schools’ exchange programme, which allows trainee teachers to spend four weeks on placement in a primary school in another country.

Heather Crabtree, lecturer in primary languages at the University of Worcester, said: “In addition to the obvious linguistic benefits of such a placement, students also find the experience develops their confidence in themselves on a personal and professional level.

“Their experiences of another system of education allow them to reflect more deeply on a range of issues such as behaviour management and the role of play in our schools.”

Clubs prove popular but there’s still more places A SPORTS lecturer from Worcester has visited Russia ahead of the 2014 winter Olympic Games.

Senior sport management lecturer at the University of Worcester Donna de Haan was among a delegation of West Midlands representatives on a trip to the country, organised by Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce.

Mrs de Haan took part in the Black Sea International Student Recruitment Fair and a conference focusing on international education in the Olympic region of Krasnodar, before taking trips to a Russian football match and to the sites of the 2014 winter Olympics.

“It was a very interesting trip,” she said. “The football match between Kuban State and Moscow Sparta was an eye opener.

“The fans were letting off flares and throwing seats on to the pitch and there was fencing around the pitch, which is no longer used here since the Hillsborough disaster.

“It was certainly very interesting for me to see in terms of event management.”

Mrs de Haan also visited venues for the 2014 winter Olympics to be held in Sochi.

She now plans to use the experience to develop lecture resources and to compare Russia’s approach to preparing for the Olympics with Britain’s in 2012.

“We already have links with universities in Vancouver, the destination of the 2010 winter Olympics, and now Sochi and this gives us a great opportunity to share Olympic experiences,” she said.