Oliver Coffin

William Farr School near Lincoln has joined up with Outlook Expeditions to provide their Year 11 students with an expedition to Thailand and Cambodia in 2016.

At the beginning of the school year, school students aged 15 and 16 interested in the expedition began fundraising for their journey. They now have two years to raise the £3,605 to go.

While in Thailand and Cambodia, students will help with a variety of activities, aimed at helping local communities.

Year 11 student Oliver Ingall said: “I cant wait, I know it’s going to be tough, but I’m ready to take on this challenge and after hearing from the previous year, I know its gonna be worth it!”

This year’s Year 13 students ventured out to Nicaragua and Honduras for the expedition, where they spent a total of three weeks experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Student Katie Gilbert was a participant in the expedition this year. The team had to raise all the money to travel themselves, with a total of £3,575 for them to take part in the expedition.

Katie said: “£3,575 was a lot but earning and fundraising it all myself really taught me the value of money. I also enjoyed the trip so much more knowing that I’d earned it.”

While out there, they took part in a conservation programme, helping with the building of a local school, making the bricks, cement and girders.

She explained: “The hard work and conditions felt so worthwhile, especially when we got to play games with the children!”

Whilst there, she felt that she had matured a lot from the expedition.

“It made me realise just how overindulgent our society is. I survived for three and a half weeks with cold showers and no phone, and it was really difficult for me to readjust to our ‘normal’ life at home.”

She added: “I would now really like to do some more volunteer work abroad with people in similar situations.”

Young film makers from across Lincolnshire will have their works celebrated at an awards ceremony in Lincoln next week.

Acclaimed actor Jim Broadbent – patron of the LAFTAs Film Awards — will be on hand to witness the achievements of the localfilm makers of the future at the Engine Shed in Lincoln on Monday, October 20, 2014.

The LAFTAs Film Awards showcases and celebrates the work of pupils in Lincolnshire who have been involved in film making in school.

This year’s awards will feature more short films and animations than ever before, including for the first time submissions from overseas.

Councillor Mrs Patricia Bradwell, Executive Councillor for Children’s Services said, “This event is a great opportunity to recognise and celebrate so many of our talented young film makers here in Lincolnshire.

“The success of these awards shows how dedicated and committed we are to supporting the development of creative skills in our young people.”

The LAFTAs Film Awards Ceremony is in partnership with Warner Bros UK, The BFI and Disney.

The LAFTAs is supported by several supporters who contribute equipment to winning schools to support film making and engagement with creative media arts in Lincolnshire’s schools.

Winners will be announced on the night and will take home a unique trophy designed and manufactured by the pupils of Birchwood Junior School with the help of internationally renowned sculptor Roger Lee.

For more information about The LAFTAs and how you can support the event, check out their website or on their Facebook page.

A Lincolnshire session drummer will be participating in drumBEAT 2014, an event that will see 1,001 drummers gather and play together, in time with each other, for five minutes.

The event aims to beat a Guinness world record for the ‘largest full drum kit ensemble’, which currently stands at 798 drummers.

Lincolnshire drummer John Watt was invited to take part by Music Shipping Company, parent company to his drumming team in the UK. Craig Fenny the co-director of Music Shipping Company is the main driving force behind the event after he lost his wife Kate Fenny recently to a brain tumour.

John is an international session drummer who has worked on numerous releases in a range of styles, and has years of industry experience.

drumBEAT 2014 hopes to raise well in excess of £125,000, which will go to the Brain Tumour Charity.

John said: “Hopefully with the attachment of the world record to the cause, the numbers will come in and drummers nationally will get involved and start raising money for this cause.

“If each player can raise £250, then the event will raise enough money to fund 1,001 full days of laboratory research!”

The event will be dedicated to the memory of Kate Fenney, co-founder of the Music Shipping Company, who recently lost her 17-month battle with a brain tumour, Eleri McBay, wife of the founder of Guitar Guitar, who died of a brain tumour earlier this year and Jon Brookes, drummer with The Charlatans, who died suddenly last year after suffering a brain tumour.

drumBEAT UK wants everyone to donate using the online page, with all donations being clearly shown there for everyone to observe as time passes.

100% of all donations go directly to The Brain Tumour Charity as soon as donated.

Anyone taking part in the drumming process and raises above £100 is entered into a prize draw to win prizes which will be donated by companies across the music industry. The draw will take place on the day.

There will also be a special prize for the participant who raises the most money.

drumBEAT will take place at EventCity Manchester on November 21, in association with The Music Show, Natal Drums and the Music Shipping Company.

If you are interested in this event and would like to take part, more information can be found on the drumBEAT website.