Regeneration of the Aquarena to go ahead

The Secretary of State has decided that Worthing Borough Council can proceed to grant planning permission for the redevelopment of the Aquarena site.  

The redevelopment of the site represents a significant investment, equating to millions of pounds, transforming this derelict site into a thriving community of homes, businesses and leisure opportunities.

Following detailed consideration, the Secretary of State is content that the matter should be dealt with by the Borough Council, without his intervention.  The Borough Council will now proceed to grant planning permission following the completion of a legal agreement securing 42 affordable apartments - providing both social rent and shared ownership apartments.

Councillor Bryan Turner, Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, says:

“I am delighted that the Secretary of State has decided not to intervene in the determination of application for the redevelopment of the Aquarena site.  This decision is fully in line with the Government's Localism agenda which seeks to ensure that planning decisions are made at the local level and to only intervene where there are planning issues of more than local importance.

“The Council will now proceed to issue the planning permission and hopes to complete the sale of the site as soon as possible to enable this important regeneration scheme to be built.”

St Barnabas Night to Remember is back - 24th June

Walk through the night to support St Barnabas House hospice - Register your place now. The first 500 participants to register online will qualify for the early bird entry fee of just £15. 

Paul Riley demonstrates he is the one for the job of Principal at Worthing College

The Governors of Worthing College announced today the appointment of their new Principal.

Roy Bowden, Vice Chair of Governors, who chaired the selection panel, said, "I am delighted to announce that Paul Riley has been appointed as the permanent Principal of the College. As he is currently Interim Principal his appointment takes effect immediately allowing him to continue the fantastic work he has been doing since September 2016 to lead the organisation to our goal of becoming an outstanding college in the next three years"

The selection panel, made up of Governors, took input from staff, students and external stakeholders, all of whom had the opportunity to meet the six candidates to ensure the process was robust and transparent. There was considerable interest in the post resulting in a strong field of potential candidates.

After a rigorous two day interview process the Governors decision was unanimous and they are confident that the decision is best for the college and the community. They concluded that Paul has the right leadership qualities to inspire the confidence of governors, staff, students and external stakeholders alike, to ensure that Worthing College is recognised as a truly outstanding teaching and learning environment.

Chair of the College's corporation, Paul Amoo, commented: "The permanent appointment of Paul Riley as Principal of Worthing College comes at a time of considerable investment in new facilities, and a commitment to develop a reputation for outstanding teaching and learning. Paul's significant experience and skills complement those of the excellent staff, and his appointment will be pivotal to these developments as we move forward to become an outstanding college in all aspects of our provision not just for our students and staff but as an effective partner playing a central role in the local Worthing and Adur community"

Paul Riley in response to his appointment said "I am thrilled to have been given the opportunity to be the guardian of the Worthing College community that I so passionately believe in. I am relishing the prospect of leading the organisation with the support of everyone involved in the appointment of the new Principal and continuing with the innovative work we are already doing to create an exciting and dynamic college in the heart of our local community"

Change someone's life in one summer by becoming a Nuffield Placement Provider 

Nuffield Placements (NP) place Year 12 students (16-17 years olds) in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) organisations for 4-6 weeks. The placements provide students with the invaluable experience of working alongside STEM professionals in a real work environment. 

Organisations are not required to make any financial commitment and the benefits for organisations are considerable. In return for some supervision and guidance, students can work to a high standard on different types of projects and make significant contributions to organisations.  Work carried out by students often leads to published papers and can be used as the basis for grant applications. Students can also help staff members develop their own teaching and mentoring skills, and can contribute to organisational corporate social responsibility. 

Cluster members Deltex Medical and GSK already participate in the scheme. Lee Linfield, Production Team Leader at Deltex Medical said 

“I am continually surprised by the students’ work ethic and capability. Not only with the projects carried out at Deltex but also during the presentation evening when you see all the projects. For students their age to do such advanced work in a fairly short amount of time is amazing.”

Ali Khan, Early Talent Adivisor at GSK likewise cited benefits for his organisation in regards to students offering a fresh perspective.

 “Fresh eyes, we can take a lot from the students…with students it’s all new and everything is questioned…it’s a great way to find improvements.” 

Full case studies for GSK and Deltex Medical can be found here.

Bold interactive digital installation to light up Worthing town centre

Leading digital artists, As Described, in partnership with Colonnade House are delighted to announce that they have been successful in securing Arts Council funding, for their digital public art installation “Geminate II” for Worthing from March 21st - April 2nd.

Worthing is the second instance that artists Adam Seaman and Jim Horsfield will be installing their interactive digital light project, but their work has been enjoyed by music fans all over the world, thanks to their professional collaborations with artists such as Portishead and Beardyman.

Artists Adam Seaman and Jim Horsfield launched the first Geminate project simultaneously in the vacant Co-op department store window in Ipswich and the Town Hall in Lens, France. They are now collaborating with award winning and Oscar nominated composer Andrew Phillips and movement choreographer Jennifer Irons whose credits include the Rugby League World Cup 2013 Opening Ceremony, together they will bring Geminate II to Worthing. This edition will feature multiple motion capture cameras and an interactive soundtrack.

The installation will be located in the main gallery of Colonnade House (Warwick Street). and will turn the exterior windows into an interactive screen.  Each evening, the windows of Colonnade House will be transformed into a playful canvas that will capture people’s movements into colourful digital abstractions.

Adam Seaman says:

“Jim and I are really looking forward to presenting our latest version of this exciting project to participants in my home town at Colonnade House next month. We would like to thank Adur & Worthing Trust and Worthing Borough Council for being so supportive in their commitment to bringing engaging public artwork to the area.  We’re really looking forward to seeing how people interact and play with the projections.”

Adam Seaman is based in Worthing and is co-director along with Jim Horsfield of As Described, a creative video company that works nationally and internationally on video production and live events for festivals, bands and brands including, Brighton Festival, Madness and the Samsung Olympic Torch Relay.

As well as funding from the Arts Council, the project is supported by Worthing Borough Council and is part of the programme at Colonnade House, Worthing’s Creative Hub which has been set up with funding from the Coastal Communities Fund.  The Creative Hub is managed jointly by Worthing Borough Council and Adur & Worthing Trust.

“This is a really exciting use of the space at Colonnade House,” says Councillor Dr Heather Mercer, Executive Member for Customer Services at Worthing Borough Council.  

“I have been delighted to see the way that Colonnade House, restored with such care and reopened last year, has become an innovative part of Worthing’s creative scene.  We have some incredible artists in the Borough, and I’m delighted to say that the Borough Council is committed to promoting the growth of the arts and culture in Worthing.”

Karen Simporis, Chair of the Adur and Worthing Trust, adds:

“The Adur & Worthing Trust welcomes another opportunity to reinvent Worthing’s image with this exciting interactive project  in the centre of our town.

“We look forward to new and old audiences having fun whilst experimenting  with it and debating the creative use of digital technology.”

More details about the project can be found here: http://colonnadehouse.co.uk/event/geminate-ii/