University of Wolverhampton Art student, Niki Gandy, is using her expertise to support parents who have become educators overnight.

Prompted by the current COVID-19 pandemic, Niki, will be hosting regular art and photography tutorials which will guide parents through their teaching experience.

Since graduating from the University of Wolverhampton with a BAHons in Video and Film production, Niki’s career led her to supporting her students skill development as Head of Photography and teacher of KS3 Art and Design at the former Abbots Bromley School for Girls school in Staffordshire, until it closed in August last year.

Niki returned to the University of Wolverhampton in September, studying for her MA in Fine Art and supports the University Centre for Lifelong Learning in Stafford.

Centre Manager Trevor Humphreys said: “Niki joined our team in January to support our evening short courses and has rapidly become an active member, taking over the delivery of our culture café, developed for learners who are new to the County and for whom English is a second language.

“Making the transition to run the centre from our homes during the pandemic, we needed to make sure we continue to support our students of all ages, who use the centre for short courses, clubs and advice”.

 As a qualified teacher, Niki will be delivering a number of virtual tutorials centred on art and photography.  “A lot of my friends and colleagues are pulling their hair out, wondering how they can educate their youngsters at this time.

“I wanted to support them with quick ideas using items around the home, to make their education fun.

“I will be keeping them as simple as possible, aimed at KS1 but all of them can be developed for any age – even those who haven’t picked up a paintbrush or pencil for years”.

The new tutorials will be available on Facebook from Tuesday 31^st March at 11.00am and can be found by liking @WLV.UWiS.

Niki will regularly create new ideas and challenges for artists of all ages to create their own masterpieces. “I hope everyone will take the time to share their finished work so that we can create a virtual art gallery – who knows when all this is over we could even display everything for those who are not online to see”.

Tutorials are available here:

KS1 block printing 31/3/20

A little bit of colour theory

Static window cling

University of Wolverhampton Architecture Graduate, Cris Cohen, is using his expertise to help families work together and build their skills and knowledgebase in the kitchen.

Prompted by the current COVID-19 pandemic, Cris will be hosting a weekly cookery show which will premiere on Facebook Live from Monday 23^rd March.

Since graduating from the University of Wolverhampton with a BAHons in Interior Architecture, Cris’s career has developed to help others build their knowledge of food creativity.

As a qualified teacher, Cris already delivers highly successful workshops around cooking, nutrition and wellbeing in schools and Colleges. “This is a time when as a nation we all need to support each other and I wanted to use my expertise to help as many people as I can.

“Every time we turn on a pan, slice or cook an onion or mix ingredients together, different things are happening.

“Cooking covers all aspects of the school curriculum with the language we use in our recipes, the communication during cooking and eating and with the maths and science of the ingredients we use and how they combine.

 “I plan to keep this as simple as possible, some families may not cook so this is a time for them to learn together and be creative.”

With his company FEASTED Cris currently delivers workshops in schools and colleges, training anyone from 3 year olds to more mature chefs.

The new cookery show will air weekly on Facebook live from Monday 23^rd March at 10.00am and can be found by liking @Feasted19.

Cris will also offer advice and support throughout the week on his Facebook feed.

Looking ahead to Monday’s show Cris said: “It’s going to be awesome and I want to make it to work for you, whatever your age, together we can support each other and help parents educate their children in their home environment.”

For this academic year we have become a member of the Katherine House Hospice "Business Buddies" scheme.

We have already helped them with some CPD Training and will be supporting a number of events over the coming months including the cycle event in 2020. Throughout the year we will be undertaking various fund-raising tasks and supporting their events. Katherine House Hospice Corporate and Community Fundraiser, Sheryl Al-Omran, is pictured with Stafford Centre Coordinator, Trevor Humphreys.

The academic team behind the new Midlands Centre for Cyber Security in Hereford has organised a week-long online festival covering a wide range of topics on the fringe of cyber and security.

The Cyber Fringe Festival, which is running from Monday 23 until Friday 27 November 2020 features over 100 experts from across the world who will deliver a range of strategic, operational and technical online sessions covering cyber industry, defence and emergency services as well as diversity, government, acceleration and skills.

Herefordshire will be home to the UK’s leading centre of excellence in cyber security – a £9m state-of-the-art hub supporting innovation and industry in the sector when construction completes on site later this year.

The centre is a joint venture between the University of Wolverhampton and Herefordshire Council and part-funded by the Government’s Local Growth Fund, via the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Academics from the University’s Wolverhampton Cyber Research Institute, alongside partners, have developed the fringe programme of online sessions in support of the cyber and security industry, drawing on expertise from across the globe to put the new centre on the cyber map.

Book your place here

The University of Wolverhampton is bringing new courses to the heart of Stafford.

Starting in January 2021, courses in CRM, HRM, SENDIS and education will be based in the County town.

Find out more about the courses here.