Starting this December, visitors to Haverhill-UK will be able to view Castle Manor’s weekly bulletins. Produced by the media team, these Castle Manor TV video clips keep a finger on the pulse of all that’s currently happening in the college. Students plan and shoot content, control the editorial process and determine how information is displayed. Now with the help of Haverhill-UK, which attracts over 7,000 unique visitors per month, they will be able to achieve an outstanding web presence and connect with an even larger audience.

Simon Ruggles, Business and Training Centre Manager, describes the impact of the new venture:
“Our students put huge amounts of time and effort into Castle Manor TV. Although we have our own website, this opportunity to work closely with Haverhill-UK and post videocasts on the site each week has given us another fantastic platform to show the community what students from Haverhill really can achieve.

“Our town has many qualities and assets upon which we can build a great future. Our challenge is to tell the world about them. Haverhill-UK does this brilliantly.”

CMTV is part of the new breed of citizen journalism that is taking advantage of the fast changing dynamics of the online world. The moving image remains a compelling experience and these webcasts are no exception. They provide a valuable record as well as a fascinating insight into the day-to-day life of a bright, forward-looking student community and a college that is facing the challenges of the future with confidence.

Steve Powter, Drama subject leader explains how the students have pushed the project forward:
“Since we started the broadcast almost two years ago, it has developed immensely. At the beginning I was training the students in how to use the editing software, but they have now overtaken me. Sometimes I have to ask them to explain how they have achieved something. They have really taken ownership of this project and they deserve the wider recognition they will now receive.”

Jason Fitzpatrick, MD of Haverhill’s Pure Energy Multimedia, the creative force behind Haverhill-UK said: “We are very pleased to be working in partnership with Castle Manor Business & Enterprise College. Since the site was built in 1998, Haverhill-UK has always been about raising the profile of the town. 

“With the complex technology now underpinning the new site, we are able to facilitate a whole host of community-driven features and online collaborations, including the video streaming involved in these webcasts.

“I applaud the inspirational impetus at Castle Manor, which encourages young people to experiment with the power and mechanics of the media. An understanding of digital technology is becoming increasingly important in modern society; it’s vital that students recognise professional development of 21st century skills is critical for success.

“We are looking forward to the involvement of Castle Manor students in a number of groundbreaking Haverhill-UK projects in the new year.”

Castle Manor Headteacher, Madeleine Vigar said: “I am delighted that Castle Manor is now working alongside www.Haverhill-UK.com. The new website highlights all the great things currently happening in the town. This unique partnership means that a much wider audience can now see the fantastic work of our students."

Story By: Elaine Collins

Date : 11-01-2007