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Bolton man and BBC Commissioning Editor, Aaqil Ahmed, paid tribute to the inventiveness and professionalism of University of Bolton students as he opened the Creative Degree Show.

He told industry guests at the opening ceremony last night (Thursday 17 June 2010) how he had been impressed with the students working with his teams at the BBC. Hundreds of students are exhibiting until June 23 at the University’s Deane Road campus, across all creative disciplines – from Animation and Illustration to Media, Writing and Production.

  Mr Ahmed, who trained in graphic design and photography, is now Head of Religion and Ethics for the BBC. He told guests the students had achieved ‘no mean feat’ in developing creative ideas for bringing religious programming to Radio 1 and pitching those ideas to Head of Religion Radio, Christine Morgan.

The University of Bolton and the BBC have been working together to open up pathways into employment in the media industry for students and to develop new talent within the region.

The University signed a partnership agreement with the BBC in 2008, ahead of the Corporation’s move to Salford next year.

The partnership between The University of Bolton and the BBC helps to identify new talent, focus on learning and development, build relationships within communities and develop clear pathways into the BBC and the wider industry.

The BBC works with the University of Bolton on projects which now include:

BBC Radio Drama Media Placements for Bolton students

planned writing workshops for students with BBC producers and writers who  come to the University as guest speakers

BBC Writersroom networking events

supporting the BBC’s religion and ethics section with the University helping the BBC reach a broader cross-section of the community.

The BBC and the University of Bolton are also working together to develop student placement opportunities within sound recording and music production.

And together the two institutions are developing an outreach programme for local colleges which aims to highlight the range of media careers to young people who do not traditionally consider the media as a profession, such as those from ethnic minority groups.

University of Bolton students won the BBC Writersroom Future Talent award for new writers 2009 and been placed runner up in the contest this year.

Said Creative Industries Liaison at the University, Jane Stuart: ‘It is great for Bolton to have someone like Aaqil with the BBC, and such a champion of bringing opportunities to the North of England with the BBC’s move from London to Salford.’

The new centre at MediaCityUK in Salford will be home to around 2,400 BBC staff from 2011. Five key London-based departments, including two TV channels and two radio stations, will be making their new homes in Salford: BBC Children’s (including CBBC and CBeebies); BBC Formal Learning; BBC Future Media and Technology; BBC Radio Five Live (including Five Live Sports Extra) and BBC Sport

May Bank Holiday weekend will see the celebration of one of Bolton’s best known sons, Bill Naughton. Bill Naughton is probably best known for Alfie, which was brought to the big screen in 1966, starring Michael Caine. This year marks Naughton’s centenary and to celebrate the town will come together on Saturday 29th May to participate in all things Naughton.

The Mayor, Councillor John Byrne and representatives from the University of Bolton and the Octagon Theatre will launch the day of celebration at Bolton Museum, at which Bill Naughton’s widow, Erna, will also be present. There will be an academic conference at Bolton Museum Lecture Theatre, featuring nationally known figures discussing his work. There will also be a chance, at The Octagon, to spend the day observing how the novel Alfie moves from page to performance, culminating in a read through by actors.

There will also be a number of other activities in the Community, including a chance for the people of Bolton to record their own memories of Bolton (in Victoria Square). Along with an opportunity to take a bus tour of Naughton’s Bolton, which will be looking particularly at where The Family Way and Spring and Port Wine were filmed. In the evening, the Octagon Theatre is showing Rafta Rafta, a play based on Naughton’s own The Family Way, but setting it in a contemporary British Asian context.

Prof. David Rudd, who initiated plans for the Celebration believes that “this is a fantastic opportunity for the town to remember and celebrate Naughton’s work in all its aspects: his plays, films, novels and short stories, his autobiographical memoirs, and more generally, crediting him for putting Bolton on the cultural map at a time when everything centred around London and the South. We are delighted that his widow, Erna, will be there to join us in the celebrations. This is a great opportunity for the people of Bolton to unite in celebrating not only Naughton’s Bolton, but also their own thoughts and memories of the town”.

Further information about the day and schedules for the bus tour, academic conference and Octagon activities are available at http://www.bolton.ac.uk/Conferences/BillNaughton/Home.aspx

Professor of Children’s Literature at the University of Bolton, David Rudd, is the editor of a new collection of essays exploring his subject.

The Routledge Companion to Children’s Literature is a comprehensive, contemporary investigation of children’s literature, exploring its various genres and qualities. Expert contributors worldwide provide in-depth analyses of why children’s literature is the way it is.

The book’s cover was also illustrated by a member of University staff, Art and Design Foundation diploma programme leader, Julie Brown.

Said Professor Rudd: ‘As far as I’m concerned, it’s the most up-to-date and thorough study of this rapidly expanding field that there’s been – although I might be slightly biased!’

Added Julie Brown: ‘I’m very pleased with the cover. It seems to capture that mix of edginess, innocence and allusion that characterises so much modern children’s literature.’

‘Missing Out’, a short film Mary Cooper adapted from her play for ‘Action For Prisoners’ Families, won the IVCA Award for Best Drama 2010. Missing Out has also been shortlisted to be screened at the BFI on May 19th 2010.

IVCA – International Visual Communications Association – Awards are the Oscars of the corporate and public sector filmmakers. This has been a fantastic accolade for both Mary and Knifedge film company.